On March  4, 1971, an organizational meeting was held at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center Officers' Club for those interested in forming an endodontic study club in the Washington, D.C. area.  Dr. Edward C. Penick was among the twenty-two members present that evening.  During the meeting they discussed several items, including the purpose of the club, general membership issues, and the number of meetings to be held per year.  They decided that they would select a name for the club and hold the first election of officers at their next meeting.  In the interim, Dr. John Harrison was elected temporary Program Chairman.

 

Tragically, before the meeting was held, Dr. Penick met with an untimely death.  He was the Head of the Endodontic Department and Director of the Graduate Program in Endodontics at the Naval Dental School in Bethesda, Maryland.  At the next meeting on May 6, 1971, the 17 members present decided that the study club should be named the Edward C. Penick Endodontic Study Club in his honor.

 

The first slate of officers elected included:

 

President: Dr. Edward Osetek

Vice-President and President-Elect: Dr. John Harrison

Secretary: Dr. Joseph Tenca

Treasurer: Dr. Michael Brenyo

Program Chairman: Dr. Howard Martin

 

It was decided that the newly elected officers would form the Constitution and By-Laws Committee and that future meetings would be held on the 3rd Thursday of the month.  It was further resolved that "A dues fee of $5.00 is to be paid by all members on or before the September meeting."

 

On that same evening, the first educational lecture on the use of zinc oxide-eugenol paste as an endodontic filling material (modified Van Zile technique) was presented by Dr. Bill Terry from the Oral Surgery Department at the Naval Dental School.

 

Past presidents of this organization who have also served as president of the American Association of Endodontists include Dr. Edward Osetek, Dr. Joseph Tenca, Dr. Charles Cunningham and Dr. Jeffrey Hutter.