100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OLD DOMINION DENTAL SOCIETY

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a legacy of community service in the Commonwealth of Virginia and throughout the nation. This year, the Old Dominion Dental Society is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and I would like to take a moment to reflect on the history of this esteemed organization and its contributions to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

In 1913, black dentists sought to organize into a professional society and these efforts resulted in the Tri-State Dental Association of Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, formed under the leadership of Dr. D. A. Ferguson of Richmond, Virginia. Five years later the name was changed to the Interstate Dental Association to accommodate growing interest from dentists around the region. Ultimately, in 1932, the organization's name was changed to the National Dental Association, and so it remains today. Since that time, the National Dental Association has provided over 6000 African-American dentists in the United States and abroad the platform and the support to help them succeed.

From this history also arose the Old Dominion Dental Society. The Old Dominion Dental Society served as a forum for minority dentists in Virginia who were denied membership to the American Dental Association and the Virginia Dental Association. For 100 years, the Old Dominion Dental Society has grown and fostered professional development for the dental profession and brought needed services to the most vulnerable communities in Virginia.

The Old Dominion Dental Society has also invested in the next generation of dentists through annual scholarships for underrepresented minorities. Through these scholarships, the Society has insured that a diverse group of young students will have the opportunity to excel in the field of dentistry. Members of the organization have been generous donors of their time and expertise to various state and community service organizations, strengthening communities and making our neighborhoods healthier. Motivated by the philosophy that health care is a born right for all people, the Old Dominion Dental Society has been a relentless leader in the quest for equality and equity in health care and today I celebrate all of the members, past and present, that have set an example for all of us over the past 100 years.

There are many Old Dominion Dental Society members that have worked tirelessly to make the Society as successful and respected as it is today. I want to congratulate the members for all their achievements, and especially acknowledge a few: Dr. McKinley Price, Mayor of Newport News; the late Dr. James Holley, former Mayor of Portsmouth; the late Dr. Hugo Owens, former Vice Mayor of Chesapeake; Dr. Elizabeth Daniels, Vice Chair of Portsmouth School Board; Dr. Walter Claytor, the first African-American dentist to serve on the Virginia Board of Dentistry; and Dr. James Watkins, presently serving his fourth term as a member of the Virginia Board of Dentistry and the first African-American dentist to be president of the Virginia State Dental Board. Under their leadership, the Old Dominion Dental Society has and will continue to flourish.

As the Old Dominion Dental Society gathers to celebrate this historic milestone, this organization can truly remember its past, celebrate its present, and focus on its future. As we continue to work to invest in our future, protect access to health care, and promote education, I praise the drive and vision of the members who make our community a better place to live. I would like to congratulate all of the members of the Old Dominion Dental Society on the occasion of its 100th Anniversary, and I wish them many more years of dedicated service to the community.