2026-27 AAOMS Officers And Trustees Announced

ROSEMONT, Ill., Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Charles A. Crago, DMD, MD, FACS, was introduced as the 2026-27 President of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) during the 2026 AAOMS Annual Meeting in Seattle, Wash., in September. With AAOMS's other officers and Board of Trustees, Dr. Crago assumes leadership of the professional organization representing more than 9,000 oral and maxillofacial surgeons. 

Dr. Crago, of Deep River, Conn., served as President-Elect and Vice President, each for a year, as well as six years as District V Trustee and in the AAOMS House of Delegates for over 30 years. He retired after 40 years of private practice as the managing partner of a seven-doctor, five-office practice that served most of North Dakota. Prior to starting his private practice in North Dakota, he practiced privately in New Mexico and held an academic appointment at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Dr. Crago also served as President of the state societies in New Mexico and North Dakota and was President of the Southwest Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Reflecting on his theme as AAOMS President – Freedom to Serve. United in Purpose. –  Dr. Crago, in his Inaugural Address to the AAOMS House of Delegates said service takes many forms. "Ultimately, our contributions all have the same purpose, and that is to serve the public in the best way possible. Certainly, an individual may serve the public by simply going to the office every day and providing safe and effective care for patients. In some ways, that might be the ultimate expression of our duty to the public."

Dr. Crago succeeds Robert S. Clark, DMD, of Lexington, Ky., who will serve as Immediate Past President.

Joining Dr. Crago in AAOMS leadership is President-Elect Debra M. Sacco, DMD, MD, of Chapel Hill, N.C., who served one year as Vice President and six years as Trustee for District III. Before her time as Trustee, she served as a Delegate for North Carolina, was a member and Chair of numerous AAOMS committees and was a member of the first Resident Organization of AAOMS Executive Committee. In addition to her service with AAOMS, Dr. Sacco was an examiner for the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, a member of the claims committee for OMSNIC and a mentor with the Osteo Science Foundation.

Elected by the House of Delegates as Vice President, Martin E. Eichner, DDS, brings six years as District II Trustee and more than 20 years of House of Delegates service to the role. He is a private practitioner in Pittsburgh, Pa., and is on the teaching faculty at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Dr. Eichner also served three years on the OMS Foundation Board of Directors and in leadership roles on multiple AAOMS committees.

Continuing to serve as an officer, Steven R. Nelson, DDS, MS, of Denver, Colo., was elected to his 25th term as Speaker of the House. Recently retiring from private practice, Dr. Nelson is a member of the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children's Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Center team and is a faculty attending in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency program at Denver Health and Hospital Authority. Dr. Nelson received AAOMS's Presidential Achievement Award in 2022.

New to the Board, Daniel J. Meara, DMD, MD, MS, MHCDS, FACS, was elected to a two-year term as District II Trustee, replacing Dr. Eichner. Dr. Meara, of Wilmington, Del., is Chair of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Hospital Dentistry at Christiana Care Health System in Delaware. He is a past Chair of the AAOMS Special Committee on Virtual Meetings and the Committee on Continuing Education and Professional Development, President-Elect of the Middle Atlantic Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and President of the Delaware Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Trustees Gregory M. Ness, DDS, FACS, of District IV, of Worthington, Ohio; and Julia R. Plevnia, DDS, FACS, of District V, of Parker, Colo., were re-elected to two-year terms. Rounding out the Board of Trustees are Pushkar Mehra, DMD, MS, BDS, FACS, of Boston, Mass.; Daniel J. Gesek Jr., DMD, of Jacksonville, Fla.; and W. Frederick Stephens, DDS, District VI, of Sierra Madre, Calif. The Board also includes Secretary/Executive Director Karin Wittich, CAE.

About AAOMS
The experts in face, mouth and jaw surgery — The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) is the professional organization representing more than 11,000 oral and maxillofacial surgeons, OMS residents and OMS professional staff in the United States. AAOMS supports its fellows' and members' ability to practice their specialty through education, research and advocacy. AAOMS fellows and members comply with rigorous continuing education requirements and submit to periodic office anesthesia evaluations. Learn more at AAOMS.org and MyOMS.org. 

Contact: Jolene Kremer
AAOMS Associate Executive Director, Communications and Publications
[email protected]
847-233-4336

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SOURCE American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons