The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) recently installed Robert M. Peskin, DDS, FAGD, as its new speaker of the house during its Annual Meeting at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois on November 21, 2021. Peskin steps into his new role with years of experience presiding over official governing bodies.

“The Academy of General Dentistry is a great organization for general dentists in terms of finding a community of support, continuing education opportunities and friendships,” said Peskin. “I am glad to be part of the leadership where I can have an impact on the decisions that are made on behalf of the membership. It is my role as speaker of the house to uphold the integrity of the organization so that it can continue its legacy of being a beacon of support, resources and friendships for all dentists.”

Peskin’s governance experience spans four decades. In addition to having authored governing documents for many dental organizations, he has served as speaker of the house for the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology and the New York State Dental Association. Since 2014, he has served on the American Institute of Parliamentarians (AIP) Board of Directors. After having served as a director for two years, he was elected AIP secretary in 2016 and this past August, was reelected vice president. However, the achievement he is most proud of is becoming credentialed as a certified parliamentarian this past summer.

Peskin graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine in 1977 and subsequently completed general practice and dental anesthesiology residencies at Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJMC). Since 1983, he has maintained a private dental practice devoted primarily to the treatment of the anxious, apprehensive, and special needs patient on Long Island, New York. Peskin has maintained multiple academic appointments, including in the Department of Dental Medicine at LIJMC, a division of Northwell Health, and at Stony Brook, where he is clinical associate professor in the Division of Hospital Dentistry.

In addition to lecturing pre-doctoral dental students at Stony Brook, he also taught practicing dental hygienists seeking certification to use local anesthesia and nitrous oxide at Farmingdale State University. In addition, he has provided continuing education on pain and anxiety control at many widely attended dental meetings, including the Hinman, Greater New York and the California Dental Association. He has also lectured extensively on risk management.

In 1984, Peskin was awarded AGD Fellowship, and, in 1989 he achieved fellowship in the American Association of Hospital Dentists. He is also a fellow of the American College of Dentists (1991), International College of Dentists (1994) and Pierre Fauchard Academy (1994). In addition, Peskin is the recipient of the NYS Pierre Fauchard Distinguished Service Award (2010), his Alma Mater Distinguished Alumnus Award (2012) and the New York State Dental Association’s Distinguished Service Award (2016).  This coming January he will be awarded the Herbert L. Taub Distinguished Service Award, by his local component, the Nassau County Dental Society.