President’s Message
ADHA Institute for Oral Health Liaison Report
Howard M Notgarnie RDH EdD
The ADHA Institute for Oral Health was active this year and surpassed its goal. For the fourth year in a row, the largest fundraiser was the In-Motion 5K: Run, Walk, Fun at the ADHA Annual Conference. Like the past two years, rain interrupted the run, this time with enough lightning to cancel the run. Nevertheless, after a goal of $70,000, we raised $74,451 with this event. Our District X, which includes Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming ADHA Constituents, raised $3,020 of that with plenty of fun at the intended starting line. At least $300 came from donations originating in Colorado. In total, over the past year, Coloradoans have donated $865 to the ADHA Institute for Oral Health. As you can see, the 5K course was not the only race track in Louisville that District X visited. Fortunately, we did not have to compete with any horses at Churchill Downs.
The Institute is a charitable organization. The money we raise funds scholarships, research, and community service projects. There are five scholarships available to dental hygienists studying in doctoral or masters programs, nine available to dental hygiene students in baccalaureate programs, and seven available to dental hygiene students in associate level programs. For the next application cycle, applicants can seek a research grant beginning November 2019 with a deadline of February 28, 2020. ADHA IOH offers three community service grants, one of which opened the application process July 15, 2019.
If you are seeking a scholarship or a grant for research or community service, please see the list of available awards. To support ADHA IOH charitable goals, see the donations page. When you donate, you may choose a specific funding goal or general funds.
Council on Educational Services Report
Howard M Notgarnie RDH EdD
I am glad to report our state has been active in delivering continuing education to members of our Association and our profession. Boulder, Southern, and Western Slope reported successful events despite some difficulties with snow. Several study clubs are active in Northeast and Southwest Colorado and in Denver.
We are gearing up for our premier event, the CODHA Annual Session in Lone Tree at the Denver Marriott South at Park Meadows. Participants can earn more than half the continuing education requirements for Colorado licensure renewal at this one event. Several CE options are available including the latest technology in clinical practice, understanding patients on a social and cultural level, direct access, and a student track. We will have many opportunities for networking with our colleagues and with organizations like manufacturers and employment agencies. Registration is now open. Options include single-day or full registration with discounts available for early registration and for ADHA members.
In addition to the continuing education, the Annual Session has its annual business meeting, the House of Delegates. As a member of CODHA, you have the right to influence how our Association progresses and to put your membership dues toward the services you value. You exercise that right by voting in the House of Delegates or by contacting a delegate who represents your Component. Lisa Westhoff is our Secretary of the House. Contact her by email to become a delegate!
Delegate Report
Howard M Notgarnie RDH EdD
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) had our Annual Conference. The business meeting took place June 23 – 25 with three events to report: an Advocacy Update, reviewing the work our national leadership has been performing to advance the effectiveness of our profession in society; The Mega-Issue, a data collection session to identify and correct gaps in ADHA’s governance structure; and the House of Delegates, in which the delegates to ADHA you elected collaborated with delegates from the rest of the country to decide the direction of ADHA and the rules by which governance and staff progress in that direction.
Advocacy
Many of our members and colleagues complain that ADHA does not seem to be doing anything for us to justify the dues we pay. Our leaders have, however, been quite active and effective at making ADHA and our profession on the forefront of change that fosters dental hygienists’ influence in social and personal wellness. For every dollar we pay in dues, 84 cents funds programs that directly benefit us members.
Representatives of ADHA, including JT Mackey, Dr Vickie Pazanas, Ann Lynch, and Ann Battrell were the only oral health representatives at Health & Human Services and White House meetings to solve issues involving access to care. The PEW Trust, which frequently collaborates with ADHA, also was there to advocate for improved access to health care. In the past year, ten states have passed legislation defining the dental therapist. Before these meetings, HHS representatives did not understand what dental hygienists’ practice entailed. Several states have increased the settings in which dental hygienists may practice clinically and the procedures they may perform. The resulting multi-department report, which included the Federal Trade Commission’s perspective on regulations that suppress competition in the presumably free market, recommended all health providers be permitted to practice to the full extent of their scope, dental hygienists receive direct reimbursement from third party payers for services they provide, mechanisms such as interstate compacts improve licensure portability, and emerging workforce models be evaluated.
A recent notice in the Federal Register has commissioned the Surgeon General to issue a new Oral Health in America report to be published in 2020. ADHA representatives met with the Surgeon General to discuss what should be included. Ann Battrell will review the section on Oral Health of Adults and Older Adults. Dental hygienists have been reclassified by the Department of Labor to more accurately reflect our role in the health care delivery system. Our prior classification was 29-2000—Health Technologists and Technicians. Now, we are classified as 29-1000—Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners. In addition to more accurately reflecting our stature, this classification supports advocacy for legislation to remove restrictions on dental hygienists that currently inhibit actions to the full scope of practice and prevent consumers from receiving accurate dental hygiene diagnoses and access to appropriate treatment.
Last year’s ADHA HOD resolution:
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association supports elimination of the patient procedure-based, single encounter clinical examination for candidates who are graduates of Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) accredited dental hygiene programs and who are eligible to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination. Licensure & Regulation | Examination | 1S-18/1-08
allowed ADHA to participate in the Coalition for Modernizing Dental Licensure, along with the American Dental Association, American Student Dental Association, and American Dental Education Association. This Coalition’s mission and goals are still in development with aims toward standardizing scopes of practice, an Objective Structured Clinical Exam as an alternative to a live patient exam, and license portability.
So, what were our colleagues saying about ADHA not doing anything to substantiate our dues?
Mega Issues
The governance of ADHA has been less than successful in gaining its stakeholders’ perception that we are meeting their needs. As a not-for-profit organization, ADHA is responsible to its membership and to the public it influences and serves. As the culture of our society changes, we are changing our view of governance from control to empowerment of its members. A high-performing board has non-delegable responsibilities for which it is a fiduciary. When it delegates actions, it provides direction and insight. It allocates resources and plans succession. To make consequential decisions, the board should be flexible rather than hierarchical, membership should arise from skill, not political maneuvering; members should have a direct line of communication to their leaders; staff should be in partnership rather than subservient to the governance.
Our consultants found that ADHA governance lacks these characteristics of a high-performing board. There is a cloud of mistrust between the Board of Trustees and House of Delegates; it has trouble responding quickly to members’ expectations and social change; it has a disconnect between perception and reality of elections as a popularity contest. It needs governing members who are competent to fit the roles that meet strategic needs; it needs transparency in gathering information from and communicating to its members; yet privacy while deliberating to ensure their conversations over controversial issues are candid. It should cultivate and prepare leaders to ensure every skill required of the board is met in at least one of its members.
HOD Actions
I chaired the Colorado delegation at ADHA House of Delegates. Our other delegates were our Constituent President, Julia A Martin RDH BAS; Public Affairs Committee Chair, Teresa J Ramirez RDH; Secretary of CODHA HOD, Lisa Marie Westhoff RDH; and alternates President-Elect, Becky Comstedt RDH; and Membership Committee Chair, Amy Rezvani RDH BS. Our Trustee of District X, Crystal Spring RDH BSDH LAP, completed her first of the two-year term. With the HOD we elected two members of the Nominating Committee, President-Elect, Vice President, and Treasurer; we adopted one bylaw amendment; and we adopted four resolutions.
Elections
The elected nominating committee members are Jennifer Harmon RDH MS and Lin Sarfaraz RDH. Our new officers are:
President Matt Crespin RDH MPH
President-Elect Lisa Moravec RDH MS
Vice President Dr Sharlee Burch RDH MPH EdD
Treasurer Chadleo Webb RDH MDH
Immediate Past President Michele Braerman RDH BSDH
Speaker of the House Christina Emmert RDH PRP
Chief Executive Officer Ann Battrell MSDH
Bylaws & Resolutions
The Bylaw amendment addressed Article IX Section 3c. The new verbiage is
Authority and Responsibilities. The Nominating Committee shall submit to the Board of Trustees and the House of Delegates, a list of all slated and unslated candidates with permission of the unslated candidates to succeed those whose terms are expiring. The Nominating Committee shall also evaluate potential candidates to fill vacancies and such other positions as the Board of Trustees may determine. Current members of the Nominating Committee are not eligible to be nominated for elected office. Association members may self-nominate as outlined in the Standing Rules.
HOD adopted a definition of Oral Prophylaxis
The supra- and subgingival removal of biofilm, calculus, and extrinsic stains from tooth and prosthetic structures, to preserve health and prevent disease.
HOD adopted a new policy
The ADHA supports and advocates for doctoral degrees in dental hygiene.
And amended two existing policies, thereby including doctoral programs in dental hygiene.
The ADHA advocates for accreditation by the dental hygiene profession, certificate, associate, baccalaureate, masters and doctoral dental hygiene education programs.
The ADHA supports all aspects of formal dental hygiene education which includes certificate, associate, baccalaureate, masters and doctoral degree programs; ADHA declares its intent to establish the baccalaureate degree as the minimum entry level for dental hygiene practice and to further develop the theoretical base for dental hygiene practice.
Next year, ADHA Annual Conference will be in the Ernest Morial Convention Center, New Orleans. LA. Scientific session will be June 12-14; HOD, June 14-16, 2020.
Colorado Mission of Mercy is seeking volunteers for its annual community dental clinic. This year they are in beautiful Glenwood Springs October 4th and 5th!
First Annual CODHA Day at the Rockies!
Join us using the following link for discounted member tickets. We love our member support!
Game time: 1:10 pm, Sunday 9/15/19
Calendar of Upcoming Events:
First Annual CODHA Day at the Rcokies!: September 15, 2019
Annual Session 2019: November 7th-10th, Denver, CO
Location : Denver Marriott South at Park Meadows
Annual Session 2020: November 5th-8th, Same Location
Sponsored by:
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