Report from ADA Trustee
Dr. Linda K. Himmelberger
On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the American Dental Association( ADA), I am delighted to welcome you to Pennsylvania’ s Dental Meeting, celebrating the 150 th Anniversary of the Pennsylvania Dental Association. This is a monumental milestone, one that reflects the commitment and dedication of PDA member dentists to the profession, the organization and the communities that we serve. I am proud of our organization and what we have accomplished, and humbled by the realization of how many scores of dentists have given selflessly to support and grow the PDA for 150 years! As Winston Churchill so famously observed,“ we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Thank you to everyone who has given time, talent and treasure to make a better life and a better organization.
The ADA has been working diligently on your behalf to assure a better professional life and a better organization, always keeping the mission statement,“ Help All Members Succeed” at the forefront of our endeavors. To that end, earlier this year CVS Pharmacy and the ADA began a threeyear collaboration to help put millions of Americans on a path to better overall health through the promotion of products with the ADA Seal of Acceptance. The ADA Seal is widely recognized by consumers as assurance that the claims that are made by the manufacturers are true. In addition, customers at point of purchase will be directed to look for a dentist on the ADA Find-A-Dentist online search tool.
The ADA continues to pursue a business model initiative that will ensure that the organization maintains its relevance while maintaining financial sustainability. Field research has uncovered a need in the marketplace for new dentists and established dentists who want to connect for mentorship but have had difficulty doing so. Another unmet need is that of established dentists experiencing difficulty in finding a quality buyer for their practice. While solving this problem is challenging, it may be possible for the ADA to play a role in facilitating these transitions.
The ADA Board has also been having strategic discussions about the feasibility of a Medicare dental benefit and how this would impact our practices. On the advocacy front, our lobbying efforts resulted in the passage of legislation reauthorizing CHIP for the next 10 years. In addition, the recently passed tax bill has a number of provisions for which we lobbied and which will benefit dentists. These are but some of the many ways in which your ADA continues to work for you and for the profession.
There are changes and challenges ahead, but I am sure that we have the necessary resources to adapt, innovate and meet the future head on. Please enjoy the meeting and all that is has to offer. Please look for me at the meeting … I want to hear from you!
“ When I look into the future, it is so bright it burns my eyes.” – Oprah Winfrey.
12 2018 Annual Report | Pennsylvania’ s Dental Meeting