Southwestern Society of Pediatric Dentistry

the southwestern society of pediatric dentistry was established to fill the need for more knowledge in this limited practice field and for fellowship. in early 1948, eight dentists unofficially formed the southwestern society of pedodontists at the dallas mid-winter meeting. they were wayne rose (wichita, ks), julian (tubbs) raffkind (san antonio, tx), joe peabody (houston, tx), garnett yearwood (shreveport, la), ben caudle (tulsa, ok), sumner russman (oklahoma city, ok), dean robertson (oklahoma city, ok), and paul taylor (dallas, tx). the fledgling pedodontist group subsequently presented a constitution and by-laws for study and development, using the structure of the southwestern society of orthodontists as a model. at the 1949 dallas mid-winter meeting, officers were elected, the constitution and by-laws were adopted and the society was incorporated in the state of kansas. the first annual meeting was held in the summer of 1949 in oklahoma city. it was the beginning of a wonderful