President's Message

A Message from SDDS President Dr.Tricia Quartey-Sagaille

Dearest colleagues:

Thank you for giving me the honor to serve as your president for 2024. I do not take lightly the faith that has been entrusted to me.

I consider myself a second career dentist, having been a high school teacher and a mortgage broker prior to attending dental school. My path to dentistry may not have been as direct as others, but even as a dental student I saw the value in organized dentistry. I was an active member of the Student National Dental Association (SNDA) and part of their national executive board.

After graduating from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 2009, I began moonlighting in private practice in New Jersey while completing my Advanced Education in General Dentistry at Lutheran Medical Center. I have worked in private practices in both New York and New Jersey, in federally qualified health centers in Brooklyn and the Bronx, and in a dental support organization in New Jersey – all while building my startup practice. I have been an attending and an associate director of the GPR program at Interfaith Medical Center. The experience of working in many types of practice models has led me to one conclusion: We are all dentists. We are experts in the maxillofacial region, not just dentition. Advocacy continues to be a passion of mine. We must come together as the experts we are instead of finding reasons to be divided.

For 2024, I’d like to bridge the gap. Bridge the gap between younger and older dentists, public health and private practice dentists, and solo practitioner dentists and large group practice dentists. After all, we are all dentists. I’m excited to offer our first series of hands-on continuing education courses during my presidency and to support our new dentist chair, Dr. Theressa Eliscar-Hewett, to bring new and exciting content to our younger members and mid-career dentists. I know many of us are struggling with rising costs and staffing shortages. The resolutions for this will take time, but I am committed to helping all my fellow dentists be as successful as they aspire to be.

I am honored to follow in the few steps of my organized dentistry mentors – Drs. Reneida Reyes, Steven Gounardes, Craig Ratner and Mitchell Mindlin. I’m blessed to serve alongside our officers and board of trustees, who spend countless hours volunteering for member and non-member dentists. It was Dr. Reneida Reyes who first encouraged me to get involved. After serving on the Second District Dental Society (SDDS) New Dentist Committee, I wasn’t sure if would continue to volunteer in organized dentistry, but it was Dr. David Miller who encouraged me and told me that change happens when you have a seat at the table.

The biggest of thanks to our tireless team of Mr. Bernard Hackett, Ms. Shayo Farinre, Ms. Christine Terrio and Ms. Stephanie Carter, who allow SDDS to be the successful component that we are. Let us not forget:

"Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Yours in service,

Tricia Samantha Naa Kwale Quartey-Sagaille, D.M.D, F.A.G.D, O.M.T.
2024 Second District Dental Society President