ODA leadership is excited to announce that the ODA House of Delegates is moving to a one day format in 2018!  A social event will be held on Friday, September 7th with the formal business of the House being held on Saturday, September 8th at Sunriver Resort. Interested in participating as a delegate? Contact leadership@oregondental.org.

Established at the 2017 House of Delegates, the Tom Tucker Humanitarian award is the highest humanitarian and service award for the dentists of Oregon. Award criteria includes:

• A significant number of years as an ODA member.
• Active in leadership roles within the ODA and their local component society.
• Demonstrated commitment to being an active member in their local communities.
• Demonstrated to their communities and the ODA a unique attitude and a willingness to serve.
• Mirror the image of Dr. Tom Tucker with a can-do attitude and a genuine desire to serve.

Submit your nominations to leadership@oregondental.org by July 1, 2018.

On July 19th this webinar will focus on the current state of the opioid crisis and steps being taken to address the crisis. The discussion will include the role of the FDA and state Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, recent publications on appropriate prescribing as related to dentistry, and safe disposal of unused medication to decrease the risk of diversion and abuse.

The Oregon Dental Association kicked off the inaugural Leadership Academy in January. The Academy provides participants with a unique backstage pass to ODA offerings and experiences, while developing and enhancing leadership and interpersonal skills. Meet the Class of 2018 or apply today to be a part of the Class of 2019.

In the effort to learn more about our members each month, we will include a poll question in the ODA Insider. Share your thoughts on the question and find out the member results in the next ODA Insider and upcoming Membership Matters issues. Complete the poll below and stay tuned for the results! Check out April's poll results here. 

House Bill 4143, passed during the 2018 Legislative Session, was targeted at the opioid epidemic in Oregon. As part of that bill, all prescribers with an active United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) registration must register with the PDMP by July 1, 2018. Learn more information and access the registration portal.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is implementing a new mandated credentialing program to centralize information for all Oregon health care providers. The program is anticipated to go into full effect in November of 2018. Providers will register with the system when they go through their next credentialing process. At the time of registration, providers will be assessed a $150 one-time fee, which must be paid by April 30, 2019.

The ODA is committed to improving access across the state to ensure that every Oregonian has access to a high-quality, licensed provider regardless of race, income, or location. See updates and members in the news.

Save the date to join your ODA colleagues in a day of advocacy at the state capitol educating yourself, legislators and their staff on critical issues impacting dentistry, including oral health care policy and funding, workforce, education and training.

The 2019 Oregon Dental Conference® is the 127th Annual Session of the Oregon Dental Association (ODA) and marks the association's ​22nd year at the Oregon Convention Center. The conference is the concurrent meeting of the ODA, the Oregon Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (OSOMS), the Oregon State Association of Endodontists (OSAE), the Oregon Society of Periodontists (OSP), the Oregon Academy of General Dentistry (OAGD), the Oregon Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (OAPD), the Oregon Dental Assistants Association (ODAA), The Oregon Dental Executives' Association (ODEA), the Oregon Dental Hygienists' Association (ODHA), ​and the Oregon Association of Dental Laboratories (OADL).