Meet Your PDA President Dr. James A. Tauberg
They enjoy taking this unique automobile to car shows. Of course,
while much harder in these challenging times, Dr. Tauberg loves to
travel, go out with friends and enjoy his family whenever he can.
Dr. Tauberg’s pace isn’t slowing down any time soon. After the
tumultuous weeks of April and May, getting back to work in his
office in June while still doing plenty of media appearances has
kept his weeks filled to the maximum. In the midst of the
strangest summer of our lifetimes Dr. Tauberg did this interview
with the PDJ to share more about himself, his motivations and his
ideas for the future of the association.
PDJ: Your PDA presidency was significantly altered
before you were even installed. No other president stepped
into the situation that you faced. Can you describe your
thoughts as you had been preparing to take the reins
April 24 and were suddenly thrust into crisis mode unlike
anything you ever imagined?
DR. TAUBERG: PDA leadership had heard about the virus for about
two months prior to my taking office. What caught everybody by
2017 MOM-n-PA with friends Dr. Sam Mansour and Dr. Bruce Terry.
surprise was the speed that the virus was spreading and the
incredible illness it could cause. As a “novel” virus, nobody knew –
medical or dental – what answers were needed.
The PA Department of Health took action on March 22 with an
order that all dental care had to be done with full CDC protection
and negative pressure rooms. These negative pressure rooms hardly
existed anywhere in the state. Leadership at the PDA then went into
high gear and contacted the Department of Health and got the
negative pressure room overturned five days later.
From that time forward until June 3, when the Department of
Health allowed complete dentistry to resume within appropriate
guidelines, PDA formed a Heath Crisis Task Force and organized a
coalition with the dental schools, the Pennsylvania Academy of
General Dentistry, the Pennsylvania Academy of Pediatric Dentistry,
and the Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists Association, which virtually
met with the Department of Health every 7-10 days to allow
dentistry to resume. We were successful.
In addition, we worked with the PDHA to improve relationships
and understanding, we organized a face mask purchase and OSHA
certified mask fit testing that resulted in over 1,200 dental
professionals, all over the Commonwealth, get certified for
returning as safe as possible to dental care. The PDA staff built a
Return to Work toolkit for dentists that helped spell out requirements
and PPE needs, and continues to be updated frequently with the
latest information that the PDA properly vets and deems to be the
appropriate, correct and truthful messages.
So, when I took over the reins from my predecessor Dr. Charles
Incalcaterra, who did an amazing job during his year as President,
I was ready and up for the challenges that this pandemic crisis
presented. I had no doubt that with PDA’s amazing staff and our
leadership we were ready to roll up our sleeves and get back to
work. I thank the PDA Board of Trustees and the Council of
Presidents for their input and support along with the many
individual dentists who provided additional great ideas and
leadership and help make us, the PDA, THE voice of dentistry in
Pennsylvania. We are continuing to work hard on every dentist’s
behalf and be the leaders that make a difference.
PDJ: During this year of your PDA Presidency – what are
some of the things, other than COVID-19 issues, that you
are focusing on? What are your primary goals?
DR. TAUBERG: Prior to the pandemic, I had several general goals for
the PDA during my presidential year.
First and foremost was to educate the state government as to
exactly what dentistry does, how the business models are set up
and the scope of practice that dentists can be capable of doing.
It’s been my impression that many decisions by our state
government are based on old outdated models and trying to
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JULY/AUGUST 2020 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL