26 January 2019 TDA BOT Report
NATIONAL LEVEL NEWS:
1) Dr. Roy Thompson of Murfreesboro, past TDA President and current ADA Trustee, will be running for ADA President-Elect in 2020.
2) He also reports that Find-A-Dentist may go away. There is a possibility of working with a data registry company. ADA Business Innovation Group is there to help with dental transitions.
3) Dr. Vince Rapini, of Missouri and in our Region, is running for 2019 ADA 2nd Vice President.
4) The ADA would love help with constructing NDBE, ADAT exams. The DEADLINE IS 8 FEBRUARY. Please contact me if you want to know more as I currently serve on one of these committees.
STATE LEVEL NEWS:
1) Our own Dr. Leon Stanislav will be awarded the Jack Wells Award! Many thanks to those who were instrumental on his nomination process.
2) The TDA Annual Session where he will receive it is again in Franklin, TN at the Cool Springs Marriott from 7-9 June. Last year, the hotel sold out. This year, I can already report that all the exhibitor space is sold out, so it is reasonable to think this meeting will be quite impressive again. Registration is open and the program books have already been mailed complete with both education and social events.
3) The Wellness Committee should be fully separated from the TDA on 1 July and rechristened as the Tennessee Dental Wellness Foundation.
4) The TDA is searching for a New Editor of the Journal of the Tennessee Dental Association. Watch for an e-blast from the TDA on the matter. The matter will be time sensitive.
5) Nashville’s Interfaith Dental Clinic is moving to a new building that will have 18 chairs as well as housing two other businesses surrounding health and wellness.
6) At the next House of Delegates, there will be a proposal to reduce the HOD by 1/3 equally across the state. It does not affect us as currently we have 3/102 votes or 0.0294117%. If this passes, we would have 2/68 votes or 0.0294117%.
LEGISLATIVE NEWS:
1) At the current moment, our lobbyist, Mr. Fosbinder, is waiting for more bills to be filled.
2) After the election, there are new members and new committee make-ups.
3) He is watching three bills on the elimination of the professional privilege tax.
4) He is awaiting a final bill from the RDH lobbyist of prescribing fluoride since 5 or 6 other states allow such.
BOARD OF DENTISTRY NEWS:
1) Dr. Kathy Hall of Nashville is stepping down from being Chair.
2) Teledentistry bill will be on the Governor’s desk.
3) Dental licensing exams have had an alteration and still retain a live patient for a restorative procedure.
4) Facility inspections will be coming to those dentists who provide sedation.
5) Remind your staff to keep up with their CE hours… and do such as well.
OPIOID NEWS:
1) Some larger chain pharmacies are requiring ICD-10 codes. Those can be found on the TDA website. They are claiming their businesses are wanting the code above and beyond the stipulation of the law. The TDA and several lobbyists are trying to rectify this.
2) As of January, the pharmacies can only dispense up to 3 days of a script that exceeds the mandate of 180 MME or 3 days.
3) The DEA is only sending out 1 email about renewing your DEA credentials. It is imperative you check your spam/junk boxes as one member was quite embarrassed to find his local pharmacy unable to fill a script due to the license being expired. You may wish to mark your calendars to remind yourself as a backup plan.
SURPRISE NEWS TO WATCH FOR:
1) Watch for a TDA news release of something that could help us all in the office.
2) Something unusual may be happening at the state level with leadership.
I have the honor to be your obedient servant,
A. Carroccia
