American College of Dentists
Foundation

Foundation for the Future^sm

Information

The American College of Dentists Foundation (ACDF) is a nonprofit, charitable 501(c)(3) public foundation supporting educational and programmatic efforts of the American College of Dentists and collaborating organizations. Foundation funds are derived, in large part, from tax-deductible support from Fellows, as well as support received from other foundations and corporations. A report of the Foundation is published in the August issue of the College newsletter, ACD News, accompanied by a list of donors for the year. The Foundation was established in 1972 to raise tax-deductible support for educational, literary, and scientific initiatives to advance oral health and the dental profession.

Most of the funds of the Foundation are provided by annual donations from Fellows, their family and colleagues, and other friends of the College. Other sources of support are obtained from private organizations interested in oral health and dentistry.

Your Foundation in Action

The Foundation provides yearly support for initiatives implemented by its partner, the American College of Dentists. The level of funding and the use of support are presented in an annual grant proposal from the College. For the past few years, Foundation funds have supported strategic and educational initiatives of the College, including the Journal of the American College of Dentists, Annual Meeting symposia, LeaderSkills workshops prior to the Annual Meeting, continuing education, special conferences, and more. Recently, the Foundation has helped support the American College of Dentists and the dental profession in a number of ways:

Ethics Summit I—supported this landmark conference of 54 different dental organizations
Ethics Summit II—committed support to this sequel to Ethics Summit I which will pursue the development of the Ethics Alliance of Oral Health Organizations
Ethics Summit III—supported the Ethics Summit Initiative of Oral Health Organizations, "Truth Claims in Dentistry"
Ethics Summit IV—supported the Ethics Summit on Commercialism, a collaborative project with the American Dental Association
Ethics Handbook for Dentists—provides support to print and distribute annually nearly 5,000 copies of the Ethics Handbook for Dentists; booklets are provided to first-year dental students at virtually all U.S. and Canadian dental schools
Dental Student Booklet—provided support to print and distribute annually nearly 5,000 copies of the dental student booklet, "Dentistry. A Health Profession. A Guide to Professional Conduct."; booklets were provided to first-year dental students at virtually all U.S. and Canadian dental schools (booklet now combined with Ethics Handbook for Dentists)
Courses Online Dental Ethics (CODE)—provided start-up support to our series of online courses in dental ethics at www.dentalethics.org.
Dental Leadership—providing start-up support to our comprehensive leadership resource, soon to be available at www.dentalleadership.org.
Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry—provided support to this national museum including the donation of a rare bust of Dr. G.V. Black
ACD Executive Office—purchased the three office condominiums currently occupied by the Executive Office of the American College of Dentists through the "Campaign for the 90s"
Ethics Wallet Card—provides support to print and distribute nearly 10,000 Ethics Wallet Cards to senior dental students and Fellows
ACD Web Site—underwrites costs associated with the ACD Web site, www.acd.org
Continuing Education—supports continuing education efforts of the American College of Dentists associated with their Annual Meeting and Summer Conferences
LeaderSkills Workshops—underwrites costs associated with producing typically four LeaderSkills workshops at each Annual Meeting
Symposia and Keynote Presentations—supports Annual Meeting keynote presentations and symposia at the American College of Dentists Annual Meeting
NIDCR Scientific Frontiers—supported the "Scientific Frontiers in Clinical Dentistry" continuing education symposia of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Friends of NIDCR—supports the Friends of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Oral Health America—supports Oral Health America
Access to Care Workshop—sponsored, in part, this workshop held in Chicago, August, 2005
Hurricane Relief Fund—supported Hurricane Relief Fund of the ADA Health Foundation
Symposium on Integrity and Ethics in Dental Education—co-sponsored this symposium held in Chicago, June 2007
Mini-symposium to Develop Dental Ethicists—supported this symposium held in Crystal City, Virginia, June 2007

The Foundation is vital to expanding the momentum of the American College of Dentists and its efforts to create an environment of opportunity for the dental profession and the oral health of society.

How the Foundation Receives Support

The American College of Dentists Foundation receives support in a variety of ways. Cash and securities are the primary means of support, but there are many others, including:

Direct Cash Gifts
Gies Fellow Program—a Fellow can become a Gies Fellow for a donation of $1,000 or more to the endowment of the Foundation.
Gies Benefactor Program—a Fellow can become a Gies Benefactor for a donation of $5,000 or more to the endowment of the Foundation.
Named Funds—Sections, individuals, or corporations may create a symbolic named fund in our endowment through a gift of $5,000 or more.
Memorials and Honorariums—special recognition can be given to a friend or loved one through a memorial or honorarium
Life Income Gifts—gifts of appreciated property can generate income for the donor and have positive tax benefits; examples include gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts
Charitable Lead Trusts—property or assets can stay in a family while the gift reduces estate taxes and supports the Foundation
Life Insurance—designating the American College of Dentists Foundation as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy (or purchasing a new policy) strengthens the Foundation and can provide a tax deduction
Retained Life Estate—occupancy of property can be retained for life after a primary home, vacation home, office, farm or other real property has been given to the Foundation for future income
Bequests—inheritance taxes can be reduced by designating in a will specific gifts of cash, property, or a percentage of the remainder of your estate
Silent Auction—the continuing education fund of the Foundation is helped by contributing to or participating in the Silent Auction held during our Annual Meeting

ENDOWMENT

What is the Gies Fellow Program?

The Gies Fellow program is designed to raise support for the endowment of the American College of Dentists Foundation. Fellows (and others) who wish to become a Gies Fellow contribute $1,000 or more to the endowment of our Foundation and may be payable over four years. Gies Fellows receive a certificate and are eligible to wear a special attachment to their pin. The Gies Fellow program will be ongoing. Those who participated before December 31, 2000, were charter participants and had their names recorded on a distinctive plaque at the Executive Office in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The Gies Fellow program is not limited to Fellows. Spouses, others, and organizations may participate.

What is the Gies Benefactor Program?

The Gies Benefactor program is is similar to the Gies Fellow program except that Gies Benefactors contribute $5,000 or more to the endowment, also payable over four years. Gies Benefactors each receive a certificate and are eligible to wear a special attachment to their pin (right).

Gies Fellow and Gies Benefactor Summary

Contributions are tax deductible
Fellows contribute $1,000 (Gies Fellow) or $5,000 (Gies Benefactor) to our endowment; payments may be made over four years, if desired
Gies Fellows and Gies Benefactors are recognized as making substantial contributions to our endowment
Endowment ensures financial resources to accomplish ACD’s mission of advancing excellence, ethics, professionalism, and leadership in dentistry.
Only proceeds from endowment will be used
Gies Fellows and Gies Benefactors each receive a certificate and a respective special attachment to their ACD pin

Why do we need an endowment?

An endowment ensures that the American College of Dentists has the financial resources to accomplish its mission of advancing excellence, ethics, professionalism, and leadership in dentistry well into the future. The endowment will allow the College to undertake meaningful programs and projects that improve our profession while helping to maintain the College’s status as the "conscience of dentistry."

How will the funds of the endowment be spent?

The endowment will support a number of College activities. Proceeds from the endowment support important College projects, current and emerging, for example:

Courses Online Dental Ethics (CODE)—a series of complimentary online courses in dental ethics and professionalism, www.dentalethics.org
ACD Ethics Program—a series of annual keynote-level presentations on the topic of ethics and professionalism at national dental meetings
Ethics Summits—periodic, high-level summits on ethics and related topics
Ethics Resource Clearinghouse—a major collection of ethics-related resources for dental schools and dental organizations
Professional Ethics Initiative—addressing the need for more dental ethicists, standards, and certification
Ethics Handbook for Dentists—provided complimentary to all dental students in the U.S. and Canada
Ethics Wallet Cards—provided complimentary to all dental students in the U.S. and Canada
Ethics Education Fund—a designated fund providing partial scholarships to dentists undertaking formal training in ethics, such as in a one-year fellowship
Dental History—multimedia dental history resource (CD) for dental students and dentists
Dental Leadership—a comprehensive online leadership resource, www.dentalleadership.org
ACD Leadership Program—a series of annual keynote-level presentations on the topic of leadership at national dental meetings
Dr. Cecelia L. Dows Scholarship Fund—a designated fund to support scholarship consistent with the College’s mission

Named Funds

Another opportunity for individuals and Sections to contribute to our endowment is by creating a symbolic Named Fund with a gift of $5,000 or more. This is an ideal way for Sections to honor notable Fellows from their Sections and could include past presidents of the College and other dignitaries.

As of October 28, 2008 there are 29 Named Funds:

Robert B. Alley Fund
Frank P. Bowyer, Jr. Fund
Marcia A. Boyd Fund
Dick and Doris Bradley Fund
Russell W. Buchert Fund
Herbert Caplan Fund
Arthur A. Dugoni Fund
Robert W. Elliott, Jr. Fund
Dr. & Mrs. Coleman Gertler Fund
Richard J. Haffner Fund
John I. Haynes Fund
Mae M. Hom Fund
B. Charles Kerkhove, Jr. Fund
I. Lawrence Kerr Fund
H. Raymond Klein Fund
Jacob J. Lippert Fund
Harvey E. Matheny Fund
Alston J. McCaslin V Fund
Edward C. McNulty Fund
Jerome B. Miller Fund
Richard A. Powell Fund
Robert T. Ragan Fund
James R. Roche Fund
Dr. & Mrs. Chester J. Schultz Fund
Chris C. Scures Fund
Thomas J. Wickliffe Fund
Section Fund Georgia
Section Fund Northern California
Section Fund Upper Midwest

The American College of Dentists Foundation works with donors to try and maximize tax benefits. The preceding information is not intended to provide tax advice, imply tax consequences, or solicit contributions. Rather, it provides general information and represents examples of ways the Foundation receives support. Please consult your financial/tax advisors relative to your particular situation. You are invited to contact the Executive Office for more information regarding the American College of Dentists Foundation and its programs.

American College of Dentists Foundation Brochure

A brochure is availabe that summarizes the programs supported by the Foundation and giving opportunities, including the Gies Fellow and Gies Benefactor programs and symbolic Named Funds. Contact the Executive Office for more information.