LEGISLATION:
New changes to Health Sub-Committee in House, Senate is stable
Working with Hygienists for a bill to get licensing from out of state easier (along with Dentists)
Looking at Medical/Dental Loss Ratios as well following the Massachusetts win last November
Many bills still to come closer to the deadline, but looking light so far
BOARD OF DENTISTRY:
Only 42% of all licensees are using CE Broker
Anesthesia will be cleaning up the CE list
UT has 110 spots/yr
UT moving RDH size from 36 to 48
UT EFDA courses doing well, to include the UT-Knoxville location
MMC now has 75 spots/yr
MMC EFDA doing well
MMC has a 67% match vs. 35-40% nationally
MMC will begin a Pediatric Dentistry program in July
MEMBERSHIP:
Between COVID and retirements, membership is down to 64.3%
However, the biggest drop is in the New Dentists and Early Career Dentists meaning more of the younger dentists are not joining and/or are dropping as the fee escalates commensurate with their years in practice to full paying dues. At this pace, ADA is predicting that nationally, membership may drop below 50% by 2027 as nationally ADA is under 60%. Whomever runs the New Dentist Committee for us present and in the future, much care will need to be shown as to what the benefits of membership are and how to get them. It may be wise to have all our young dentists lead a discussion as to what they want from 8DDS/TDA/ADA and what it is that all levels provide. ADA grants are available for New Dentist activities.
CONGRATULATIONS:
Joe Britton will be the newest TDA Fellow from 8DDS!
ANNUAL SESSION:
The Music City Dental Conference will be May 11-13 (Thursday - Saturday) at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.
ALERT: Discounted rooms are going fast and the hotel will have rooms but not at the discounted rate!
Exhibitors are sold out! There is a wait list.
The registration is live on the TDA's website.
ORAL HEALTH INITIATIVES:
Meeting attendance did NOT have a quorum as most members were not present.
Adult TennCare has launched. Many private practices are not participating.
SDF position paper coming about RDHs applying.
