JACD 71-4 - American College of Dentists

William John Gies Award
The highest honor the
College can bestow upon a
Fellow is the William John
Gies Award. This award
recognizes Fellows who
have made exceptional contributions to
advancing the profession and society.
This year’s recipient is Dr. Robert T.
Ragan. Dr. Ragan, a native of Cleveland,
Mississippi, completed undergraduate
studies at the University of Mississippi in
1960 before matriculating to dental
school. He received his dental degree in
1964 at the Loyola University of New
Orleans School of Dentistry. Following
graduation from dental school, Dr.
Ragan spent two years as a captain in
the Dental Corps of the United States
Air Force. Upon finishing his military
obligation, Dr. Ragan opened a private
practice in Cleveland, Mississippi, which
he has continued to the present time.
Over the course of his forty years in
practice, Dr. Ragan has distinguished
himself in a variety of ways. Dr. Ragan
was elected to all the offices that can be
held in the Mississippi Dental Association,
including President and Trustee. He has
also served as President of the District
Two Dental Society. Dr. Ragan has also
been active in the ADA, serving as Chair
of the ADA Commission on Relief and
Endowment Funds; member of the ADA
Council on Dental Practice; ADA
Delegate; Secretary-Treasurer, Vice Chair,
and Chair of the Fifth Trustee District of
the ADA. He has also been very active in
Journal of the American College of Dentists
2005 ACD Awards
the American Academy of Dental
Practice Administration, serving in a
number of important capacities, most
recently as President. Dr. Ragan was
honored in 2000 by a special proclamation
of the Mississippi Legislature. The
same year, he received the Special
Service Award by the Mississippi State
Board of Dental Examiners.
He has served the American College
of Dentists as Chair, Mississippi Section,
before serving as Regent of Regency 5.
Dr. Ragan eventually held the offices of
President of the American College of
Dentists as well as president of the
Foundation. Through his inspiration and
leadership, the Gies Fellow program was
implemented and will leave an indelible
impact on the Foundation. With his keen
interest in dental ethics, Dr. Ragan has
spent his talents helping formulate and
establish the ethics seminar for students
at the University of Mississippi School of
Dentistry. This program started as an
ethics seminar for junior and senior
dental students and has become a
four-year endeavor. This seminar is an
opportunity for dental students to meet
and develop relationships with Fellows
of the College while learning from their
experiences. The profound success of
this program has spawned similar ethics
programs at the University of Florida,
Indiana University, and the State
University of New York with Dr. Ragan’s
personal assistance. He has not only
made significant contributions to dentistry,
but to his community as well.
Dr. Ragan has actively participated in
enriching his community by serving as
president of numerous organizations,
including the Cleveland Rotary Club, the
Cleveland Crosstie Arts Council, the Delta
Aquatic Club, and the Bolivar County
Alumni of the University of Mississippi.
Dr. Ragan’s leadership, achievements,
and exceptional contributions have had
a significant and positive impact on dentistry,
dental ethics and ethical practice,
his community, and his country. Dr.
Ragan has been a consistent resource to
all of his professional and allied associations.
He is held in highest regard, not
only by his colleagues, but also by his
friends and business associates.
Honorary Fellowship
2004 ACD Annual Meeting
Honorary Fellowship is awarded to individuals
who do not hold a dental degree,
but have significantly advanced the
profession of dentistry, and have shown
exceptional leadership in areas such as
education, research, public health
administration, or related fields of
health care. This year there are two
recipients of Honorary Fellowship.
The first recipient of
Honorary Fellowship for
2004 is Mr. Daniel J.
Buker, Esquire. Mr. Buker
is a veteran of the United
States Air Force being honorably discharged
in 1972 after four years of
service. He subsequently graduated
magna cum laude from the University of
West Florida in 1976. He soon afterward
entered Florida State University,
11