Asian Lecture Tour 2017

Phyllis and I are home safe and sound after flying 40+ hours, traveling across 25,000 miles, and experiencing a 15-hour total time difference. Here's a glimpse of our recently concluded lecture/workshop tour through Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Delhi:

1. We flew 15 hours from LAX to Hong Kong. I presented an all-day lecture, followed by demos, workshops, and an evening program for the Hong Kong Endodontic Society. It was great to see again and have dinner with my friend, Professor Gary Cheung.

2. Our travels next took us on a 4-hour flight south, across the South China Sea, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The subsequent morning we were at the Universiti Technologi Mara (UiTM) where I gave a 3-hour lecture to Malaysian endodontists, then an afternoon of demos and workshops. It was a big pleasure to meet and have a delightful dinner with new friends, including Professor and Founding Dean of UiTM, Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim Abu Hassan.

3. Then, on to New Delhi, India! We flew 5 hours northwest for the APEC Congress held in New Delhi. The Congress is comprised of 43 countries, including India, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and many other countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, etc. The venue began with the Indian national anthem, then a short speech by the Lt. General of the largest dental corp. on earth, followed by my keynote presentation to about 1800 dentists. What a remarkable experience! After my lecture, Phyllis and I were swept up in the excitement of picture taking. Security snuck us out of the back of the Hyatt Regency, where we walked around the outside of the hotel and slipped back in another entry!

Later that evening, I was honored to become an Honorary Diplomate of the Indian Board of Endodontics. It was a cap and gown ceremony, and it was fantastic that the Board included Phyllis on stage during the award ceremony. Phyllis and I want to especially acknowledge our great friends who represent the current leadership of endodontics in India, including Dr. Anil Kohli (Chairman, IBE), Dr. Sanjay Miglani (President-Elect, APEC and Director, IBE), Dr. V. Gopi Krishna (General Secretary, IBE), and Dr. Vivek Hegde (Director, IBE).

My last day in New Delhi was a fun “Teach the Teachers” event hosted by Dentsply Sirona. I had the pleasure of giving a lecture, demo and workshop to 30 professors who are a part of APEC and represent the Dentsply Sirona endo teachers in these countries.

Overall, Phyllis and I enjoyed a remarkable trip, and aside from the expected “wear-and-tear” of travel, we are empowered and humbled by our experiences. Thanks especially to those who made our tour so memorable, from the stimulating educational content to the fantastic dinners and celebrations. Good times!

To view event photos,
please visit our online:
"Ruddle on the Road" Photo Gallery