Welcome to our newest members! Please reach out to these new members and welcome them into the ODA community.

• Thomas Bordieri, DMD – Central Oregon Dental Society
• Michelle Graber, DMD – Washington County Dental Society
• Mariya Melnik, DMD – Southwestern Oregon Dental Society
• Daryl Khaw, DMD – Multnomah Dental Society
• Anne Purcell, DMD – Multnomah Dental Society

It’s that time of year to renew your membership for 2022! Choose any of the available renewal programs and be entered into a drawing for one of three $100 Amazon gift cards. We encourage you to set it and forget it to experience uninterrupted membership!

The ODA office will be closed Friday December 24, 2021- Monday January 3, 2022 for the holidays. We will reopen Tuesday January 4, 2022. Wishing you all the joys of the season and happiness throughout the coming year.

The 2022 Oregon Dental Conference (ODC) has 50 speakers slated to present in-person. Each speaker needs a host, and we want YOU!

Speaker hosts receive complimentary conference registration with a full day of hosting and get the opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with an expert in your field! The speaker host dinner and training will be on Thursday, January 13, 2022, from 6:30-8:30pm at the ODA building in Wilsonville and streamed live via Zoom. All speaker hosts must attend the January training or attend a training onsite during the ODC in April in order to host. If you are interested in hosting, please complete this form by January 6, 2022.

Make a difference in the life of a student or early career dentist by serving as an ODA Mentor! We’re looking for mentors from all practice modalities, specialties, new dentists (0-10 years out), established dentists, and retired dentists to share their knowledge about the profession. The program resumes in January where small mentor pods will be meeting in-person or virtually once a month. Please contact Melissa Juenger, ODA Member Specialist, to volunteer.

Join your ODA colleagues and ASDA students virtually for an evening of advocacy! Held in the evening, this year's event will allow you to participate from anywhere in the state without missing time with your patients.

Learn about the February legislative session, ODA’s advocacy, and hear directly from key legislators. No previous training or experience is required. We will give you all the tools you need to be successful! Learn more and register online here.

We’re living through a time of uncertainty, and it’s normal to feel stressed and anxious. We have many challenges that lie ahead, and if you feel the need to reach out to someone, we are here and you are not alone. The ODA's Wellness Program offers a robust network of compassionate Wellness Ambassadors, armed with resources to help support ​colleagues. The wellness program is open to all members, non-members, and dental students. If you need help or know of someone that needs help, please request support. Find ODA website wellness resources here.

Are you interested in serving your state, drafting and interpreting rules by which practitioners are held accountable, and making positive change for your peers? Serving on the Board of Dentistry, while time-consuming, is an incredible opportunity to directly affect how dentistry is practiced in Oregon.

There will be two open general dentist seats on the Oregon Board of Dentistry with 4-year terms beginning April of 2022. Statute affords the Oregon Dental Association the opportunity to submit recommendations to the governor for her consideration. ODA's Leadership Development Committee (LDC) will conduct interviews with interested candidates in order to form that recommendation. Diverse applicants and individuals living in rural areas of the state are encouraged to apply.

Please contact ODA Government Affairs Director, Jen Lewis-Goff at jlewis-goff@oregondental.org no later than Friday, January 14, 2022, for more information and to express your interest.

ODA continues to update the COVID-19 Resources page on our website. Click here to access resources from ODA, ADA, OHA, CDC, and more.

All dentists who hold an active DEA license must register with the Oregon Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). If you have not already registered, please access the registration portal here.

Winter is here, and it’s time to get outside and explore the beauty of Oregon! Better yet, head to the Columbia Employee Store for all those last minute holiday gifts. We're excited to partner with Columbia Sportswear to bring you this ODA members only experience and invite you and up to four guests to shop the Columbia Employee Store December 10, 2021 - January 2, 2022.* The Columbia Sportswear Employee Store offers 40-50% off retail prices and features all the latest products from the Columbia Sportswear Company family (SOREL, Mountain Hardwear, prAna, and of course Columbia Sportswear). Please see the email sent on 12/8/21 for your member pass and additional details. 

*This offer is for store access only and does not allow for online shopping. Member Pass, Valid Photo ID and ADA Card required for entry.

ODA Member Connection, a members-only, private Facebook group, is designed to connect members throughout the state and provide you with a platform to share and collaborate. Join the conversation here!

Dentists and other dental professionals are invited to participate in the Pain Management and Substance Use Disorders ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) program, a 7-session program designed to build the capacity of dentists and their teams to identify and manage patients with oral pain or substance use disorders. Sessions for the upcoming cohort will occur via a virtual meeting space, beginning January 5, 2022. Learn more and register online here.