Correspondence Address:
Sanath Shetty
Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, Yenepoya Dental College, Mangalore
India

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As I begin my term as President of the Indian Society of Prosthodontics - Restorative - Periodontics (ISPRP), I would like to congratulate the past Presidents and the Secretaries for their humongous effort in leading and meticulously molding ISPRP in its formative years and making this association as one of the most sought after in India and also in some parts of the world. Since its inception in the year 2007, the ISPRP has grown from strength-to-strength, with over 500 life members, who actively take part in most of the events organized by the association. I take this opportunity to request each one of you to actively take part in the 6 th ISPRP national conference to be held in Chennai from 16 th to 18 th August 2013, and make the event a grand success.

Being the past Editor in Chief of Journal of Interdisciplinary Dentistry, I am very much aware of the effort that goes into bringing out an issue; I whole heartedly congratulate the editor and the editorial team for their herculean effort in bringing out this highly informative journal. I am very sure our journal will be a leading scientific publication in interdisciplinary dentistry, sooner than later, and will add immensely to the ever increasing ocean of scientific knowledge.

I am sure that every practicing dentist sincerely believes that they are members of a respected health profession. However, the oral health care environment is changing rapidly and I am perturbed as to how the public views, us, dentists, when media carries stories focused on dentistry being sold as dental tourism travel packages and as spa services. Professional status for dentistry is a privilege and not a right. In order for us to establish the dentist/patient relationship of trust, critical to successful health promotion, and treatment of oral disease, it is essential that we at the ISPRP should try and make the public perceive dentistry as a profession and not merely as a trade.

I am confident for the future of dentistry in India, and that the ISPRP will be able to assist its members in fulfilling whatever their objectives are for the New Year. I wish all dentists, their teams, and their patients a Happy and a successful 2013.

I take this opportunity to thank all the members for having elected me to the post of President for the year 2012-2013.

Thanks to all of you, our valued members of the ISPRP, for your support and time, this is much appreciated.

Jai Hind!