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Member News
Welcome to our newest members! Please reach out to these new members and welcome them into the ODA community.
This fall, ADA will introduce a new login process to make it easier to access your account online. You will no longer use your ADA member number for login. Instead, your email address and password will grant you access to your ADA account across a variety of web properties, including ADA.org, the ADA Member App and JADA. Starting September 10, you will need to reset your password to access ADA properties. Learn more at ADA.org/LoginFAQ. The 2024 ODA House of Delegates will be held on September 28th and will be 100% virtual. This is a great micro-volunteer (less than a day) opportunity! Register here and represent your local component. You're invited to ODA's Regional Event: CE on the Ranch! Taking place November 1-2, 2024, in beautiful Central Oregon. Join us at Brasada Ranch in Powell Butte, OR, for 5 hours of continuing education, social events, and relationship building with sponsors and exhibitors. Events include a Friday Night Trivia welcome kick-off and a Saturday night Boots & Bling party featuring country western music & line dancing. Event schedule, registration, speaker information are all available here. Come for the CE – Stay for the boot scootin' good time! ODA is seeking applicants for a variety of open positions across the organization. You can find position descriptions and steps needed to apply here. Our team has been hard at work developing our 2025 legislative agenda, in partnership with the ODA’s Regulatory Advisory Council (RAC). The Board of Trustees approved the agenda, which includes insurance reform, a multi-state dental compact, and improving reimbursement rates. As our members know, advocating for the dental profession and oral health care is one of the primary functions and one of the valued benefits of the Oregon Dental Association. Read the September’s issue of Membership Matters to learn more. Dr. Rachel Meek recently shared her unique experience as a recent dental graduate working for the Confederate Tribes of the Siletz Indians and the important role that native dentists play in building trust with their patients. Dr. Meek has brought that perspective to the Oregon Dental Association, serving on the ODA’s Regulatory Advisory Council and Legislative Task Force. Not only does the ODA offer an opportunity for Dr. Meek to influence policies and legislation impacting dentistry, but it also provides a valuable resource for connection and learning that she may not otherwise have due to her geographic location. https://www.oregondental.org/members-in-action/dr.-rachel-meek While the ODA team is busy in Salem and Washington, D.C., 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! 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. 
As a reminder, beginning Jan. 1, 2024, dental insurers in Oregon are required to allow providers to opt in to receiving payment reimbursements via credit card, rather than having to opt out. Thanks to ODA’s advocacy team, this new law will save dentists thousands in unexpectedly low reimbursement rates. To provide clarification regarding the law, you may access a new FAQ, here. The law applies to all new contracts, renewed, or extended contracts entered into or contracts that had significant changes made after January 1, 2024. If you renewed your contract before January 1, 2024, the new law does not yet apply to your contract. Contact your provider networks to learn more. Effective July 1, 2024, the Oregon Wellness Program (OWP) will reduce the number of free counseling sessions available to medical and dental professionals from eight annually to three visits. Learn more on the ODA website here. You can access the ADA’s wellness resources 24/7! If you haven’t yet, take one minute to assess your mental wellness with the Well-Being Index designed by Mayo Clinic. Check out this video to learn more about how this tool can help you monitor and support your mental health. If you missed our Instagram Live on mental health awareness, you can watch the recap here. Don’t forget to also tune into the latest Dental Sound Bites episode on mental wellness and suicide prevention in dentistry. The ADA Member App also has new audio-guided ergonomic stretches to help you maintain your physical health. Find these resources and more at ADA.org/wellness. 
Compliance Corner
A new rule added optional additional functions for Dental Therapists including intravenous access, phlebotomy, and blood draw with successful completion of a Board-approved course effective May 1, 2024. There were also ten other rules amended including dental implant training requirements, nitrous oxide permitting, minimal sedation, and additional functions for dental hygienists and dental assistants. More information about these rule changes can be found on the OBD home page: https://www.oregon.gov/dentistry/pages/index.aspx. The ADA Standards Program has opened the draft of the first U.S. standard on clear orthodontic aligners for review and comment. The standard will allow these products to be compared in a like manner with respect to their physical, thermal, and mechanical behaviors. The standard specifies requirements and test methods for materials used in the production of orthodontic sequential aligners, along with requirements for packaging and labeling. With the growing popularity of clear aligners, this standard will ultimately help practitioners, patients, and regulators compare them to provide enhanced patient care. 
ODA Member Perks
Fall is upon us, and it’s time to get outside and explore the beauty of Oregon! 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 September 6 - 29, 2024.* The Columbia Sportswear Employee Store offers 40-50% off retail prices and features all the latest product from the Columbia Sportswear Company family (SOREL, Mountain Hardwear, prAna, and of course Columbia Sportswear). Please see the email sent on 9/5/24 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. 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
Tailored for your entire dental team, Opioid and Infection Control: State Required Relicensure CE for Every Member of Your Dental Team on Friday, Sept. 20, simplifies state regulations and licensure demands, delving into crucial areas concisely. From infection control updates to opioid management insights, our expert-led Live Webinar will boost your team’s expertise and confidence in one fast-moving day. Recommended for dentists and dental team; earns 6 CE credits. Register today Communities are at their strongest when their individuals are at their best – when they’re growing, energized, and thriving. So, come to SmileCon® and learn a new skill, mingle with colleagues, and have a little fun along the way … because when you reach new heights, you cultivate what makes dentistry great. Register today at SmileCon.org! On Wednesday, October 2nd at the Salem Convention Center, please join over 400 professionals and advocates representing CCOs, health and human service providers, elected officials and state agency leaders, hospitals and clinics, patient advocates, and community partners interested in health transformation. The 11th annual conference will again offer informative and engaging content, with a diverse range of sessions and panelists aimed at advancing coordinated care in Oregon. Please send questions to info@ccooregon.org. Register Here. 
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