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

• Tayler Bruce, DDS – Marion Polk Dental Society
• Michelle Falbo-McGowan, DDS – Multnomah Dental Society
• Brandon Hunt, DDS – Central Oregon Dental Society
• John Le, DMD – Clackamas County Dental Society
• Steven Lee, DDS – Lane County Dental Society
• Sina Mousavi, DDS – Marion Polk Dental Society
• Luke Noble, DDS – Multnomah Dental Society
• Erik Seaberg, DDS – Washington County Dental Society

What a great event! Thank you for joining us for the 2023 Oregon Dental Conference. We hope you enjoyed the exceptional CE courses, the chance to shop the exhibit hall, and the opportunity to catch up with your fellow dental professionals! Please save the date for the 2024 Oregon Dental Conference, April 4-6, 2024 at the Oregon Convention Center.

Oregon’s 2023 Legislative Session is well underway, and we are thrilled to announce that legislators unanimously moved ODA’s flagship dental bills out of committee – the first big vote on their path to approval!

Check out our mid-session update featuring ODA’s priority bills and other legislation we support or we are tracking. Together, Oregon dentists are working to improve access to care, ensure transparency in dental insurance practices, and address dental workforce shortages.

Oregon House Bill 2979 and its companion, Senate Bill 441, were introduced in January. If passed, the legislation would designate $20 million to invest in education, training, and incentive programs to increase recruitment and retention of dental support staff. Read more here!

The American Dental Association hosted its annual Hill fly-in recently in Washington, D.C. with the American Student Dental Association. From March 5-7, more than 700 attendees discussed legislative issues of critical importance for dentists and their patients. Dentists, dental students, and oral health professionals hailing from every state and D.C. participated in more than 325 visits on Capitol Hill focused on educating Congress about the profession, Medicaid dental benefits, student debt, and insurance reforms. Oregon was well represented by five member dentists and four OHSU ASDA students.

To learn more about the bills attendees advocated for on Capitol Hill visit: ADA.org/lobbyday. For full coverage of Lobby Day visit ADA's social media platforms using the conference’s official hashtag #ToothParty. Thank you to all who joined the event to help make it a success!

The call for applicants is open for one Dental Director on the Moda board for a term of 4 years. The incumbent in this position is running for re-election. With a broad array of companies under its corporate umbrella, Moda is committed to attracting candidates to serve on the Organization’s Boards of Directors who represent excellence in both the practice of dentistry and in its diverse business ventures. Review the full job description at http://bit.ly/ModaBoard Interested in serving on the Moda/ODA Board? Submit a letter of interest, CV/resume, and 3-5 references (no family and one non-dental) to leadership@oregondental.org by July 1, 2023.

Members can tap into resources, support, and community, all in the palm of their hands with the re-imagined ADA Member App. This app isn’t just made for dentists, it’s made with them. When designing the app, ADA team members worked directly with dentists from different practice modalities, including dental students. Features, include 1:1 and group chat, digital wallet, curated newsfeed, career path insights, and stream the new “Dental Sound Bites™” podcast. Learn more at ADA.org/App or search “ADA Member App” in the App Store or Google Play to download now.

Each month, the ADA Health Policy Institute (HPI) takes the pulse of the dental profession with a monthly poll of U.S. dentists to measure the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and to gather dentists’ opinions on other current and emerging issues impacting their practices. Less than 10 minutes a month could make a difference in the dental industry. Join the panel today!

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.

Catch up on the latest ADA webinars and on-demand video learning opportunities on your own schedule. From managing your practice to caring for your staff or your own mental health, new events are added regularly. See all digital events here. Many CE opportunities are free of charge.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory regarding dental waterlines because of recent outbreaks of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria. In addition to the recommendations listed in the CDC HAN notification, Oregon health care providers and clinical laboratories are required by law to report all cases and test results indicative of and specific for extrapulmonary NTM within one working day to their local public health authority.

Section 1263 of the spending bill passed by the U.S. Congress in December 2022 requires prescribers of controlled substances to complete eight hours of one-time training on safe controlled substance prescribing to receive or renew their registration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The statutory language was taken from a separate bill called the Medication Access and Training Expansion Act (or MATE Act). Here are questions and answers to assist dentists in complying with continuing education requirements for DEA registration.

The ODA is excited for a new partnership with Columbia Bank Healthcare Banking. CB Healthcare Banking has been a longtime supporter of the ODA, Oregon Dental Conference, and many of our components.  Columbia Bank Healthcare Banking is the largest Dental lender in the Northwest. Their teams service over 2,500 dentists and approximately 70% of the regional dental practices. CB Healthcare Banking is solely focused on the healthcare industry. Their team brings expertise, service and most importantly a banking partner to every relationship. CB’s Healthcare service model is based on direct client engagement, no call centers or 1-800 numbers. Lastly, the merger with Umpqua Bank has brought to bear the highest levels of technology available in today’s banking community, which allows them to bring the very best possible products and services to our clients. We look forward to working with CB Healthcare Banking.

 Make patient care data work for you with the ADA Dental Experience and Research Exchange (DERE)™. After your practice enrolls in DERE, you’ll get access to reports designed to help you analyze trends at your practice. When you use DERE to better understand patterns and treatment outcomes at your practice, you can harness data to help you discover ways to improve patient outcomes. DERE is free to use. Enroll now.

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!

Our first Regional Event was so successful we are doing it again! Next year, join us on the coast for CE, social activities, and fun. See you at Driftwood Shores in Florence, Oregon!

A whole new world of transformative learning, irresistible connections, and serious fun is waiting to be discovered in Orlando, Oct. 5 - 7. No matter where you are in your professional journey, SmileCon will spark something new in you. Registration opens June 7 at SmileCon.org. Get a sneak peek in our preview video here!