Alumnus Leads Dental Honor Organization

Hal Hale (D.D.S. ’88) spent the last year as president of the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Founded in 1936, the Pierre Fauchard Academy is an international dental honor organization that recognizes and develops leadership in the dental profession.

Q: How has your time at UMKC helped with leading the Pierre Fauchard Academy?
A: I believe every leadership position prepares you for the next. It was my pleasure to serve on the School of Dentistry’s Alumni Association’s Board of Trustees and as president of the Dental Alumni Association. The school has a proud tradition of leadership in dentistry. I immediately think of Dr. Connie White, who was president of the Academy of General Dentistry, Dr. Cesar Sabates, who is currently the immediate past president of the American Dental Association and Dr. Brett Ferguson, who served as president of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. I attended school while all three of these great dentists and leaders were at UMKC and they have influenced me greatly.

Q: What motivated you to take on an active role with the academy?
A: I was attracted by the international and diverse nature of the academy. We have almost 10,000 fellows from nearly 80 countries. The academy focuses on encouraging dental leadership, a subject close to my heart. Our profession faces many challenges, and these challenges become greater every day. If dentists do not step up and lead our profession, other forces will do so.

Q: What do you hope your legacy as president will be?
A: I hope to be remembered as a strong, decisive, inclusive leader. More importantly, I want to be remembered as a leader who accomplished things for the academy, not simply someone who held the office. Most significantly, we have initiated a membership strategy that has resulted in unprecedented growth. I can truly say the state of the academy is excellent! Let that be my legacy.