Impressions
Waiting for 1.21 Gigawatts by Dr . Stephen T . Radack III , Editor
I ’ m sure some of you know exactly what this title references , while others may not have a clue . If you recall in the 1985 classic “ Back to the Future ,” 1.21 gigawatts is how much power it would take to create enough energy to send Doc Brown ’ s time traveling DeLorean to its destination . As I sat in the PDA Business Meeting during Pennsylvania ’ s Dental Meeting at the Mount Airy Resort on Saturday morning April 20 , I couldn ’ t help but think of this movie .
In his address to the members , our new president Dr . Cary Limberakis made re-establishing a House of Delegates his priority during the next year . As background , it was 10 years ago in April 2014 that the members of PDA ’ s final House of Delegates ( HOD ) voted to change the Bylaws and changed the governance of the association to its current form , where the Board of Trustees ( BOT ) governs the association with a check and balance from the Council of Districts ( formerly known as the Council of Presidents ). This change in governance was not a spur of the moment decision ; rather it was one that involved serious and careful deliberation by the members . It took three years of work by the Governance Task Force ( GTF ) and the Bylaws Committee to make those changes a reality . The resolutions to change the governance were passed in 2013 , and at the last House in 2014 the Bylaws changes to establish new governance had to pass by two-thirds of the 86 delegates that were present .
In addition to the change in how the association would be governed , PDA members at large were now able to vote for our officers and ADA Trustee as well as the delegation that would represent our ADA district in the ADA House of Delegates . Since then , concerns have sometimes been expressed that not enough members vote in our election . The only thing a member must do to participate is to have a valid email address on file with PDA . In the last three elections , email ballots were sent to 3,826 ( 2022 ), 3,801 ( 2023 ) and 3,654 ( 2024 ) members . The total number of ballots cast in these three elections were 471 or 12.31 % ( 2022 ), 500 or 13.15 % ( 2023 ) and 431 or 11.79 % ( 2024 ). Is this not still significantly better than the previous system of having 86 people elect our leaders ? How could we get more of our members to take advantage of their opportunity to vote ? It could not be easier to vote !
The Council of Presidents ( COP ) was created to give a check and balance to the Board of Trustees . This group was made up of the 10 presidents of the PDA districts . The body was meant to be a partner with the Board in Bylaws changes and was expected to be a funnel for moving ideas from the local dental societies to the BOT . Could the COP have been given better direction on its duties from the start ? Probably so . But the frequent change in the COP ’ s members and terms that end at different times of the year did not help this transition . PDA then changed this group to a Council of Districts ( COD ) to get a more consistent group of representatives . Each district now has one voting representative who serves a three-year term concurrent with the district trustee .
In the time since these changes took effect , there have been two recent GTFs in the last few years that have invested hours of their time revisiting a return of a House of Delegates in some form . Why ? Has there been a cry from the members that I have not heard for a change in governance ? Do our members feel the BOT is not serving them well ? Do our members long for the “ good old days ” of a HOD ?
The newest version of the GTF appointed by the president could once again seek changes to return to a HOD . The 2014 HOD in its wisdom passed very specific Bylaws provisions that must be followed for a governance change that would remove any of the current duties of the Board . At the close of the 2014 HOD , where elected delegates of that body voted to eliminate itself , I became the first PDA president to helm the new PDA . Like anything new , there have been growing pains , but I would challenge any member to say that the Board has not served the PDA well these last 10 years .
As it was back then , if the members desire a change , then a process will be followed so their will can be done . This is the time to engage your leaders . Know and contact your trustee and COD representative . Similar discussions occurred two years ago and a governance change did not move forward . Make your voice be heard .
So , the date is set to return to April 2014 in the DeLorean time machine . Now we wait for the lightning to strike and the 1.21 gigawatts of power to hurtle the car ( PDA ) back in time . Will it strike or will the storm pass by ?
— STR3
MAY / JUNE 2024 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL 5