b'A YEAR IN REVIEWMeet the AAPs new President, Dr. Stephen MerawGet to know Dr. Stephen Meraw, periodontist, educator, advocate, and currentMy program at the Johns Hopkins Hospital President of the AAP.was heavily surgically focused at the time, with almost all of the residents pursuing What originally inspired you to pursue an education/career in dentistry? OMFS afterward. Since the other residents My original inspiration to pursue a career in dentistry came from my personal dentistknew that I had an interest in periodontology, growing up. He was a nice and caring man who would ask me what I wanted toI would get all of the patients with perio do when I grew up. He repeatedly informed me about what a great career choiceneeds. Moreover, Dr. Soehren kept in touch dentistry was for him. He also said that I would be a good fit since I liked healthand introduced me to Dr. Gerry Bowers who care and did well in school, and that dentistry would allow me to have a nice life forhad me come across town to speak about myself and my family. As an undergraduate I was able to shadow in his office whichperiodontology and observe in the graduate helped steer my decision toward dental school instead of medical school. He was oneclinic. I was also fortunate to have multiple of many people who helped direct my path to become the first dentist and collegeconversations with Dr. Jay Siebert who was graduate in my family which is why I value mentorship as part of my own professionalalso inspirational. These experiences and responsibility. others helped solidify my decision to pursue periodontology as my specialty. I can still What led you to choose periodontology as your specialty? remember when I announced my decision to When I was a dental student, I was drawn to the surgical specialties of dentistry. Iapply for perio programs to my colleagues travelled two years in a row to Central America to help provide dental services toat my GPR. My oral surgery attending asked people who mostly had never seen a dentist previously. I became very proficient into have a private conversation with me after exodontia on these trips, but also appreciated the value of someone happy to seepatients. He said that he had heard that I their teeth cleaned up and looking healthy for the first time. I likewise saw value indecided to apply for perio programs, and teaching oral hygiene for a longer impact. I was encouraged by my faculty in oralwanted to let me know that he thought I & maxillofacial surgery and periodontology to consider specialty training. This leadhad very good hands that would be wasted me to pursue further experiences as an oral & maxillofacial surgery extern at thein perio and I should think strongly about Massachusetts General Hospital, and spending time outside of dental school at theapplying for OMFS. I thanked him for periodontal private practice of one persistently encouraging faculty, Dr. Stephenhis advice and compliment and became Soehren, who was the chair of periodontology at that time. Since I was undecided myresolved that whatever talents I had would be senior year, I entered into a general practice residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospitalimpactful as a periodontist. following dental school to gain more experience and figure out what I wanted to do.AAP Periospectives| 10'