Klemmedson, a fellow of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery who is in private practice in Arizona, becomes the 157th association president.
Daniel J. Klemmedson, DMD, MD, of Tucson, Ariz, was installed as the 157th president of the American Dental Association (ADA) at the ADA FDC Virtual Connect Conference held last weekend.
“The pandemic has offered insight to the interconnectedness of our society and the economic engines that keep it running. The same is true for the interdependent nature of dentistry,” Klemmedson told the ADA House of Delegates during its virtual meeting. “COVID-19 catalyzed a domino effect that demonstrated just how fragile our return to normal was. A return to normal should not be our goal. Better and stronger is clearly within our reach.”
At the same meeting, Dr Cesar R. Sabates was installed as president-elect and Dr Maria Maranga as second Vice President. In addition, five new trustees assumed office: Dr Chad R. Leighty, 7th District; Dr Rudolph T. Liddell, 17th District; Dr Michael D. Medovic, 6th District; Dr Scott L. Morrison, 10th District; and Dr Gary D. Oyster, 16th District.
A fellow of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Klemmedson is a past president of the Arizona Dental Association, Southern Arizona Dental Society, Western Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and Arizona Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Throughout his career, Klemmedson has earned multiple awards, including the Dentist of the Year Award and the Hall of Fame Service Award from the Arizona Dental Association. In 2018, he received the Gerald E. Hanson Outstanding Service Award from the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation.
Klemmedson is a member of the Academy of Dentistry International, American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, and American Medical Association. He has received fellowships from the American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists and Pierre Fauchard Academy.
After graduating from the University of Southern California School of Dentistry, Klemmedson earned his medical degree from the USC School of Medicine. Klemmedson maintains a private practice in Tucson, and serves as an attending oral and maxillofacial surgeon on the cleft palate and craniofacial team at Children’s Clinics.
Sabates is a general dentist from Coral Gables, Fla. He previously served as the 17th District trustee on the ADA Board of Trustees from 2016 to 2020 and delegate in the ADA House of Delegates from 2000 to 2016. A graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, Sabates is also past president of the Florida Dental Association and South Florida District Dental Association.
Maranga is an endodontist from Aquebogue, NY, and is a past chair of the ADA Council on Membership and past president of the Suffolk County Dental Society. A graduate of the New York University College of Dentistry, Maranga served as a delegate in the ADA House of Delegates, president of the New York State Association of Endontists, and academic affairs director of the American Association of Women Dentists.
