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Member News
Welcome to our new and returning members! Please reach out to these new members and welcome them into the ODA community.
Are you someone who enjoys interacting with peers, loves to come up with innovative and fun ideas, and understands the need for organized dentistry? Then this volunteer role is perfect for you! The ODA Membership Council is looking for New Member Outreach Volunteers from each local component to help welcome new members, assist with event coordination, and coordinate new member communication and resources. If you’re ready to step in and make a difference in your local component, please contact Heather Langdon at hlangdon@oregondental.org. The call for applicants is open for one Dental Director on the Moda board for a term of 4 years. 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 https://bit.ly/ModaBoardODA 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, 2025. Mark your calendars for next year's conference, April 9-11, 2026! In the meantime, be sure to enter your course completion codes online at https://www.prereg.net/2025/odc or the ODC mobile app to claim your 2025 ODC CE certificate. See you next year! 
Congratulations to Dr. Ramirez for being selected as one of 10 2025 ADA 10 under 10 award winners. Dr. Ramirez currently serves as an ADA Delegate on the ODA Board of Trustees and as a member of the ADA Council on Dental Benefit Programs. Learn more about all the award winners, here. The newly redesigned ADA Find-a-Dentist® makes it easier for patients in your area to find you. With enhanced search features, patients can now search by address or zip code and filter results by specialty, languages spoken, insurance accepted, and travel distance. Wellness Ambassadors play an essential role in offering a compassionate ear and guiding colleagues through challenges related to stress, mental health, debt, and other life obstacles. Whether through personal experience or a passion for helping others, these dedicated individuals provide invaluable peer-to-peer support. Hope For The Day will be providing training this year, so if you're interested in becoming a Wellness Ambassador and making a meaningful impact, please complete the Wellness Ambassador interest form today! 
Compliance & Legislative Corner
On May 13, the Warrenton, Oregon City Commission voted to maintain community water fluoridation—a significant win for public health. The Oregon Dental Association (ODA) was proud to support local advocates in their efforts to educate commissioners on the importance of fluoride in public water systems. ODA submitted a letter to the City Commission highlighting the well-established public health benefits of fluoridation. In addition, we collaborated closely with local advocates by drafting letters to the editor, supplying accurate fluoride information, and equipping residents with the tools and guidance they needed to effectively engage with their elected officials. The issue is expected to appear on the November ballot in Warrenton, and ODA remains committed to supporting efforts that promote evidence-based public health policy. Did you see ODA President-Elect Amberena Fairlee’s letter to the editor in The Bulletin? Dr. Fairlee wrote, “As a dentist working with low-income and underserved populations in Bend, and the President-Elect of the Oregon Dental Association, I am deeply concerned by recent federal efforts to dismantle dental public health infrastructure, specifically community water fluoridation.” Read the letter, here. We’ve received recent reports of a phone scam that has been targeting dentists in our community. Scammers are impersonating representatives from the Oregon Board of Dentistry, attempting to collect personal and financial information under false pretenses. Please be aware that the Oregon Board of Dentistry will never request sensitive information over the phone. If you receive such a call, we urge you not to provide any personal or financial details and hang up immediately. We encourage you to remain vigilant and share this information with your colleagues to help prevent any potential scams. Find more information on the Board of Dentistry website. ODA and a contingent of Oregon dentists recently participated in the ADA’s lobby day in Washington, D.C., joining more than 1,200 dentists and dental students to advocate for policies to improve oral health and access to oral health care. Our Oregon advocacy team was able to meet with many members of Oregon’s congressional delegation and talk with them about the need to prioritize oral health care. You can read about the 2025 Lobby Day issues here. These relationship building opportunities came at a particularly crucial time as the CDC’s Division of Oral Health was eliminated amid federal restructuring on April 1 and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called on the CDC to stop recommending fluoridation of water supplies across the country. Your advocacy team continues advance to ODA’s priority bills were held in the Oregon legislature. Two of the three priority bills, which are dental insurance reform and increased reimbursement, continue to advance, while one of our priorities – the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact bill – failed to move forward. Find the full update, here. The 2025 Legislative Session began on January 21st. ODA is busy implementing our Legislative Agenda, and we need your engagement. Although it might sound like a broken record, there is no substitute for the voices of those working with patients and running dental offices every day and who can advocate for patients’ rights. The ODA is building its team of dental advocates, and we need YOU to get involved in the legislative process! Remember, this is your association and you can have some control of your destiny. Advocacy can take many forms, depending on your comfort level, experience, and expertise. As a member of the ODA Legislative Action Team, you may be invited to write a letter to legislators, attend Dental Day at the Capitol, or write an op-ed for a local publication, among other opportunities. Sign up HERE or email ODA’s Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs Brett Hamilton at bhamilton@oregondental.org and express your interest directly. Join ODA’s Legislative Advocacy Team! Not only is Dr. Elizabeth Tomczyk blazing a new and unique path for her career in dentistry through her work training new dentists at OHSU, but she is also very involved with the ODA and recently testified in Salem in support of a bill that would ban flavored tobacco products. https://www.oregondental.org/members-in-action/dr.-elizabeth-tomczyk 
ODA Member Perks
Talkspace Go, a self-directed therapy app, is now available to all members and dental students as part of membership. Talkspace Go is designed to support mental well-being through personalized, science-backed courses on topics ranging from work stress to relationships through therapist-led live workshops, daily journaling and more. It’s important for members to understand their insurance provider contracts before signing so that they can decide what is best for the members and their patients, as well as to avoid unpleasant surprises in the future. The ADA offers a free contract analysis service that provides members with a plain-language explanation of the insurance provider contract terms to allow them to make informed and independent decisions on the merits of the contract. The analysis is not a substitute for legal advice. The service also provides analysis of certain dental management service organization agreements. Members can utilize the service at no charge by submitting an unsigned contract and an analysis request through their state dental society. To learn more about the Contract Analysis Service, and for other dental insurance contract resources, go to the Support on Dental Insurance Contract Issues page on ADA's website. The ADA also offers resources to help members navigate employment-related contracts such as an e-book on employment agreements and articles on getting the contract you deserve, compensation basics, negotiating your salary, and general negotiating tips. Further resources related to DSO contracts are also available. If you have any questions regarding the Contract Analysis Service, please reach out to Maria Reyes at reyesm@ada.org. Tap into a pool of top talent: Post your open positions on ODA’s Dental Career Center Connect and gain access to a vast pool of talented dental professionals actively seeking new opportunities. Our platform is the go-to destination for the brightest minds in dentistry. Looking for a change in your career? Discover a world of possibilities with our extensive job listings catering to every aspect of the dental field. Whether you’re a seasoned dentist, a passionate dental hygienist, or an aspiring dental assistant, find your perfect match with just a click. Visit the career center at https://careers.oregondental.org/. 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. Dental Community News and Events
Save the date! The 2025 ODA Regional Event is November 7th & 8th, and this year we are heading to Salishan in Lincoln City. Join us for family-friendly social activities, five hours of continuing education from leading experts, and relationship strengthening with industry suppliers. Registration opens this summer. Be sure to check www.oregondental.org for all updates. Washington, D.C., a city with stories of the past, meets SmileCon, a vision of the future of dentistry! Join us in our Nation’s Capital Oct. 23–25 and learn how to prepare your practice for what’s ahead. Keep an eye on SmileCon.org for further details, registration opens June 11. We can’t wait to D.C. you there! ADA NEWS
The ADA is strongly opposing comments made by the Louisiana surgeon general about community water fluoridation, calling them “dangerously irresponsible.” Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham, MD, voiced support for a bill to ban the fluoridation of public water in the state, which currently requires the health department to set fluoridation levels. The ADA and other Louisiana health care groups have objected to the ban, including the Louisiana Dental Association and the New Orleans Department of Health. Read more, here. The ADA signed on to a coalition letter expressing concern for the Trump administration’s draft fiscal year 2026 budget for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The letter follows a draft budget proposal outlined by the Office of Management and Budget that recommends cutting the agency's overall discretionary funding by approximately 30%. This would negatively impact the nation’s research, scientific, and public health infrastructure, according to the coalition, which includes 534 organizations, including the ADA. Catch the latest episode of Dental Sound Bites with ADA President Dr. Brett Kessler and President-Elect Dr. Richard Rosato. In this episode, Drs. Kessler and Rosato illuminate the current state of oral health care and how the profession can move forward in uncertain times. Listen in the ADA Member App, on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. The FDI World Dental Federation is calling for health systems to include oral health indicators in electronic health records. The organization released a consensus statement on integrated electronic health records that included input from the ADA and other stakeholders. The ADA invites dental schools to apply to the ADA Qualified Sites program, which connects manufacturers with research sites that are qualified to test their products for the ADA Seal of Acceptance program. “We encourage schools with relevant experience — particularly those with a background in working with industry — to get involved, as their expertise could really strengthen the program,” said Ashraf Fouad, DDS, chair of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs. “Becoming a qualified site will help set labs and research sites apart and gather trustworthy data demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of over-the-counter oral care products.” A coalition dedicated to improving health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives is urging Congress to support funding for IHS. The AI/AN Health Partners Coalition, which includes the ADA, sent letters to Senate and House of Representatives appropriators emphasizing that American Indians and Alaska Natives face substantially poorer health outcomes and higher mortality and morbidity rates than the general population. The Indian Health Service is critical to how these populations access health care, the letter notes, and must have sufficient resources to provide them with high-quality services. 
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