Following the enormous success of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, founded in 1975, the European Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, founded in 1986 and the Japanese Academy of Esthetic Dentistry founded in 1990, the UK, alone amongst the front runners of dental excellence was conspicuous for the absence of an aesthetic ethos manifested in the protocols of a structured organisation.
Thus it was no surprise that in the early nineties a group of like-minded individuals discussed the possibility of forming a British society dedicated to the ethos of Aesthetics.
Initially the main founders were Lambert Fick and David Kaplan, later joined by David Klaff. They met and discussed the ways and means to form such an Academy.
By coincidence, or Karma, the first combined meeting of the above three academies took place in Florence, Italy, in 1994. On the flight to the meeting Milton Beinart and John Theunissen, two like-minded clinicians, joined Lambert and the two David’s. By the end of the flight and additional train journey a broad based formula had been developed for the structure of a British Aesthetic Academy. In Florence invitations were extended to Tidu Mankoo and Carlo Nepute to join the founding party.
High-level talks were held at every opportunity during the Florence meeting, with inspirational assistance from Cherilyn Sheets, President of the AAED and David Winkler, President of the Scandinavian Academy.
Fabio Toffenetti, President of the EAED, made two significant announcements during the concluding speech of the meeting. The first was the establishment of the International Federation of Esthetic Dentistry; the second was the announcement of the formation of the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry.
The following months were characterised by frequent intensive meetings and within a short period a structured society had been formed with a Mission Statement, Constitution and By-laws and was to be called the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry. Two further individuals were invited to join the original founding Executive Council, Lothar Fulde and Paul Tipton. The Constitution demanded that an annual general meeting be held with an associated scientific programme.
The founding officers elected were Lambert Fick- President; David Klaff – President -Elect and David Kaplan – Secretary -Treasurer.
The inaugural meeting was held at the Belfry Hotel with Sir Bernard Ingham, Margaret Thatcher’s press secretary, the guest of honour. The meeting was characterised by sponsoring possibly the finest line-up of world clinicians seen in one programme in the United Kingdom at that time. Many unforgettable moments were held in the social aspects, not least of which being Dave Winkler winning the “BA(A)D” golfer of the year trophy.
Within 6 years the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry had formally achieved its position in the United Kingdom as a highly formidable society that played a large part in the acceptance of “aesthetics” as a discipline and method of treatment in this country.
There is no doubt that the BAAD was formed in the face of great hostility and suspicion by the profession in the United Kingdom and at the time aesthetics was certainly a “dirty word”.
However the standard of the Scientific Meetings was so high with high concentration on solid biological principles, with clinical excellence and paying strict adherence to restoring Structure, Form and Function, that BAAD soon established itself both nationally and internationally as a serious academy promoting the highest standards of dental clinical achievement, associated with social camaraderie and friendship. Clinicians from abroad queued to be included in a BAAD meeting line-up.
BAAD has evolved in a linear fashion continuing to maintain the high standards with the introduction of “study-club” type meetings proving to be a tremendous success and very popular with the membership.
Presidents and Executive councils have been elected, served and passed on their mantles – the Dinosaurs and original founding members have moved to the background, offering council and wisdom in continuing to guide the Academy to leadership in bringing Aesthetic Dentistry to the British Public.
No history of BAAD would be complete without paying homage to three guiding lights in its development, namely John McLean, Brian Sykes and Joyce Ronald – these three were instrumental in guiding BAAD and the Academy’s debt is incalculable.
