Your membership is an investment in your success, our profession, and public health. This investment also fuels our efforts in legislative advocacy, helps you elevate your skills, and assists you in cultivating invaluable connections to broaden your network and engage with our community. Please remit payment or pay online. Let’s thrive onward together! We look forward to serving you in 2024!

Members have the opportunity to win a 7-day Hawaiian cruise, among other prizes, for recruiting new members from January 1 – August 31, 2024.* For each new member recruited, the recruiter is entered into a quarterly drawing for a chance to win a prize from the ADA Store or ADABEI-endorsed providers valued at up to $1,000. For every five new members recruited, the recruiter receives a chance to win a 7-day interisland Hawaiian cruise for two. Recruiting 25 members automatically guarantees a quarterly prize. Any degreed dentists, apart from retirees, who were not ADA members in 2023 are eligible to be recruited. Newly recruited members must list the recruiter’s name and contact information as a referral on the membership application at ADA.org/Join. *See complete sweepstakes details at ADA.org/R4R

We have 50 speakers slated to speak in person at the 2024 Oregon Dental Conference, and we need your help! Speaker hosts receive complimentary conference registration and can spend some one-on-one time with their favorite speakers! The speaker host dinner and training will be on January 18, 2024, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the ODA Building in Wilsonville and will be streamed live via Zoom for those who cannot attend in person! Reach out to Alisha Santoyo at asantoyo@oregondental.org to register!

Join the ODA Lobby team and guests for a look into the upcoming legislative session in Salem. Last year’s legislative session was a great success for the ODA with the passage of legislation to support dentists with Provider Network Transparency, Claims Reimbursement Transparency, and support for the Oregon Wellness Program. The ODA also continues to advocate to fill the State Dental Director position and workforce issues.  Register here.

The 2023 Legislative Session concluded with a big win for ODA members. Developed by ODA members, HB 3008, which was signed by the Governor in August and went into effect January 1, 2024, requires dental plans to obtain a provider’s consent before selling or leasing out provider panels, along with advance approval to receive reimbursement payments via electronic credit cards rather than checks. Insurers are also required to communicate about payment processing fees associated with these electronic reimbursements. For one ODA member, third-party credit card processing fees have added up to $11,000 a year. Read all about this bill, ODA’s workforce package, and others that ODA worked, tracked and advocated on this year in our End of Session Report.

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.

Class of 2023 dental school graduates get two years of free unlimited CE courses through ADA CE Online. Encourage recent graduates you know to Level Up their membership from students to dentists and keep honing their skills with cutting-edge CE. Contact ddouglas@oregondental.org to level up your membership.

Have you listened to the latest episode of Dental Sound Bites? Marko Vujicic, ADA Chief Economist and Vice President of the ADA Health Policy Institute, kicks off the new year with a data-driven look at the trends and challenges ahead for dentistry. Listen now on the ADA Member App or wherever you get your podcasts.

With so many career options in dentistry, how do dental students and dentists find their fit? Introducing…the new career path quiz in the ADA Member App. The new career path quiz takes about five minutes to complete and provides members with their top career recommendations based on their interests and aspirations Learn more at ADA.org/App or search “ADA Member App” in the App Store or Google Play to download now.

Exciting news! The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) and its open-access companion journal, JADA Foundational Science (JADA FS), are now on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn! Follow @JADAJournals on X for the latest cutting-edge dental research, including quick takeaways, as well as insight from global oral-health experts on PracticeUpdate Clinical Dentistry. For more exclusive content and research highlights, join the conversation on LinkedIn.

This is a friendly reminder that the dental implant rule changes are effective January 1, 2024. The guidance document, communications and timeline for dental implant rule changes can be found on the OBD home page: https://www.oregon.gov/dentistry/pages/index.aspx

The Corporate Transparency Act, enacted by Congress in 2021, intends to combat the use of businesses as money-laundering operations. Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the law now requires certain businesses to report beneficial ownership information to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Unit. All existing dental practices and companies that meet the requirements have one year to file before facing penalties. The ADA created a FAQ document to help dentists with questions. Visit fincen.gov/boi to file a report, view informational videos and webinars, find answers to frequently asked questions, connect to the contact center, and learn more about how to report. For sharing out with members, the ADA News article explains who is subject to reporting requirements and other relevant details.

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!

The 2024 Oregon Dental Conference is just around the corner! Join the ODA at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR April 4-6, 2024 for exceptional CE courses, the chance to shop the exhibit hall, and to catch up with your fellow dental professionals! Please check our Oregon Dental Conference website regularly for new developments and updates. http://www.oregondentalconference.org

The Oregon Health Authority is excited to introduce an upcoming webinar series, “ADA and Healthcare,” hosted by NW ADA Center. The webinar series focuses on ensuring accessibility and inclusivity within healthcare environments through ADA compliance.
 
Register for the first webinar in the ADA and Healthcare series today. Disability Foundations is for anyone involved in the healthcare field and advocates of disability rights in healthcare.
 
The first webinar will:

• Explore disability as a legal, political, and cultural identity
• Present a brief history of disability activism in the U.S.
• Overview disability identity and pride
• Examine the impacts of ableism and disability bias in healthcare 

You won’t want to miss this foundational free webinar! Register today by going to https://nwadacenter.org/oha-healthcare/