CHICAGO--Ronald L. Tankersley, DDS, who practices oral and maxillofacial surgery in Newport News, Williamsburg, and Hampton, Va., has been installed as president of the American Dental Association.
He will lead the 157,000-member organization's efforts to protect and improve the public's oral health and promote advances in dentistry.
Dr. Tankersley's installation took place today during a meeting of the 2009 ADA House of Delegates in Honolulu, Hawaii. He previously served as ADA president-elect.
Dr. Tankersley served a four-year term as a member of the ADA Board of Trustees representing the 16th district, which includes North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. As a trustee, Dr. Tankersley served as board liaison to the Dental Economics Advisory Group, the Committee on the New Dentist, the Council on Access, Prevention & Interprofessional Relations and the Council on Ethics, Bylaws & Judicial Affairs.
Dr. Tankersley's previous responsibilities with the ADA include serving as chair of the Council on Dental Benefits, the Strategic Planning Committee, the Advisory Committee on the Code, the Diagnostic Coding Committee, the Standing Committee for Diversity and the Dental Content Committee. In addition, he participated on the ADA's Future of Healthcare/Universal Coverage Taskforce.
Dr. Tankersley is a former president of the Virginia Dental Association, Virginia Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and Southeastern Society of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons.
He earned his dental degree from the Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry where he also completed his residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Dr. Tankersley is a fellow of the American College of Dentists, the International Colleges of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy--an international honorary organization for dentists.
Dr. Tankersley and his wife, Gladys, reside in Newport News, and are the parents of two children, Kenneth and Christine.
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