Dr . Dennis Charlton , Incoming President , Addresses the House
Dr . William Spruill , outgoing president , Dr . Thomas Braun , dean of Pitt Dental School , and Dr . Charlton at the Pitt Alumni Reception . and others and pick up where we left off with the new legislative session that has just begun . Dr . Spruill has taken the point by making numerous visits to “ the Hill .” Bill has met with potential sponsors of legislative bills and ensured the meaningful language of each piece of legislation supported by PDA . Bill has given so much and we owe him a huge debt of gratitude .
HB 2684 from the 2009-2010 legislative session was a bill written to permit a restricted license to teach dentistry for foreign trained dentists . This bill is designed to aid our dental schools fill teaching positions in the schools . The deans of the dental schools support this legislation and we have been working to help them . Time ran out in the legislative session for this bill as well and I ’ m sure we ’ ll be seeing it in some form in the 2011-2012 legislatures .
The Lobby Day back in June 2010 was a big success . There were twenty-some teams of dentists , spouses , and dental students who spent time with nearly every state legislator or their staff . Each team was given a list of appointments with various legislators . The meetings were held in their legislative offices where we presented the
dental issues of concern to our PDA members . The dental teams were well received and many were thanked for their participation in the legislative process .
The PDA went through a “ Request for Proposal ” ( RFP ) process to analyze the lobbying firm we currently use and others that may be interested in representing the PDA . Detailed proposals were received from four firms ; the committee interviewed three of these lobbying firms . After careful consideration of firms we interviewed , the RFP committee and the BOT elected to maintain the relationship with the Winter Group for 2011 .
The Strategic Planning Committee worked in conjunction with the PDA standing committees and the BOT to develop a refined PDA Strategic Plan for 2011-2015 . A strategic planning retreat kicked off the search for those goals we as an organization should embrace over the next five years . These goals led to more specific objectives and a strategic plan structure that will promote progress on each of the stated goals . The details of the PDA Strategic Plan 2011-2015 are contained in the Strategic Planning report in this workbook .
July / August 2011 • Pennsylvania Dental Journal
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