9 “FIT FOR PURPOSE” I t is a great honor to serve as President of the Inter- national College of Dentists. Who could have imagined when I graduated those many years ago that my pro- fessional life would have led me to this position? My journey began as a graduate of the University of Ota- go, New Zealand, to general practice, then overseas to the United Kingdom for post graduate training and returning to New Zealand with little resources other than a very sup- portive wife, Wendy, two young English-born children and a newly-purchased practice from a highly-respected se- nior practitioner. From that time, the experiences I gained through my dental associations activities, serving as Pres- ident of the FDI, the special support and encouragement from my Section VIII, and meeting dedicated oral health professionals from all cultures and economic backgrounds all contributed to developing my direction and passion for dentistry. As President, I believe it’s my responsibility to respect the College traditions my predecessors have worked so hard to establish and build upon this for the future College di- rection. My goals for the year are simple, to make the Core Values of the College more relevant than ever. Fit for Purpose We must ensure our College is “Fit for Purpose”. This means that whether our Fellows are part of a larger, sophisticated Section, part of a small newly- formed Section or situated in an isolated region with very few Fellows to support them directly, they feel “connected” to their peers in the College worldwide. Relevance, com- munication and commitment are the keys to achieving this along with the following three goals: Goal 1. Membership Relevance Membership growth of the College is vital to survival but must be relevant, es- pecially to a prospective Fellow. Sections and Regions must recognize that membership growth and retention is only sustainable if opportunities are given to our Fellows to contribute in a meaningful way to their Section and Re- gional initiatives. To be relevant we have to be creative, focus on our hu- manitarian and educational initiatives, draw on the amaz- ing expertise of Fellows within our ranks and give them a sense of purpose and of belonging that is relevant, per- sonally satisfying and rewarding. Goal 2. Relationship Between Sections We have an international structure, which is remarkable in that we represent the total spectrum worldwide. We can do better in guiding this resource collectively. The Council needs to do better in helping each other achieve the com- mon Core Values of the College. I would like us to work towards better networking between Sections, more exchanges between the leadership of big- ger and smaller Sections, and finally but most importantly, mentorship of newly-established Sections and Regions. Mentoring at a Section and Regional level is an essential College principle and should be entrenched in the day to day operations. Goal 3. Management Structure and Councilors The College has developed rapidly since it moved to its own independant international office and headquarters. The previous arrangement worked well, but as the College grew, our administrative structure had to change. Under Dr. Jack Hinterman’s stewardship, we have matured sig- nificantly. The workload has increased, the expertise of our staff has grown and the breadth of day to day activi- ties has reached out in many directions. This year will see an analysis of the workload, and a look to the future for how best to operate an efficient international office hub. Communications have also been at the forefront of my concern over the years, but with the initiatives taken by my predecessors and also by Dr. Dov Sydney, the Col- lege communications have become significantly more effective. Communications between Councilors, Execu- tive Committee and the College Office is vital. Initiatives have been instituted to allow for robust debate at the Council meetings and user-friendly meeting reports lead- ing to better communication on issues facing the College. In conclusion, my role for the year is to build on the strengths of the College and pass on to my successors a safe, strong platform on which the College will continue to grow. Most importantly, I intend to give each Fellow around the world, regardless of circumstances, the assur- ance that they are valued, relevant and essential to the College, while ensuring that they enjoy the deep sense of pride in belonging to the ICD. 2018 ICD President Dr. Clive Ross talks about his goals and aspirations for the College and its Fellows THE COUNCIL THE GLOBE 2018 7