THE ODA IS YOUR PARTNER FOR SUCCESS FROM YOUR FIRST YEAR OF DENTAL SCHOOL TO RETIREMENT
In this article, I wanted to share an experience that I had in January. Dr Mark Bronson and I were invited to speak at this year’s ASDA Leadership Summit at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry in Columbus. The leadership event gave us an opportunity to present the value of membership with all three levels of the tripartite with D1-D4 dental students. We were also given presentations about image consulting and marketing their future practices, educated about the different practice models available to the students upon graduation, and were shown the value of the partnership with sales representatives from various dental companies.
Yes, you may already know some of this but let me summarize our speaking points. Within the Ohio Dental Association, we take pride in offering various benefits, with a primary focus on delivering information regarding legislative and regulatory advocacy. According to our surveys, this is identified as the top member benefit. Please keep in mind that our ODA staff is available to deliver presentations on legislative issues and regulatory compliance during your local dental society meetings, subject to scheduling availability.
I trust that all members are aware that the ODA website provides the regulatory compliance guide for download, serving as a valuable resource to support your regulatory compliance requirements. This not only lists all staff delegable duties, but offers information on risk management, the Ohio Dental Practice Act, the Ohio State Dental Board Rules and a sample of the Ohio Department of Health Radiology X-Ray Quality Assurance Program. I found myself referencing the manual prior to a state radiology inspection at my office.
Our ODA staff routinely offers updates and support regarding third-party payer claim denials, and they are also available to aid in reviewing dental insurance contracts. I’ve been an active member of the Dental Insurance Working Group for over 10 years now. I find this to be the most valuable member benefit for a daily practitioner. Yes, we have all had claims denied by insurance carriers, even after an appeal. If you find yourself uncertain about the next steps or where to seek assistance, reach out to the ODA, and discover how we can support you with unresolved claims.
We offer a wealth of continuing education to our members, not only at Leadership Institute and at our Annual Session (to be held this year on Sept. 11-14th), but this is available to you, on demand, from the ODA website. Members of our ODA expressed gratitude to our ODA staff for offering continuing education (CE) that aligns with the updated requirements from the changes in the MATE Act. This ensures a seamless renewal process for your DEA permit.
Having our ODASC board offer competitive pricing on products and services not only saves us time and money, but the discount savings can pay for your annual ODA membership! We have tracked member discounts from 10-30% on dental supplies ordered through the Ohio Discount Dental Supplies (OhioDDS) program with Safco Dental Supply. Members can take advantage of various popular programs, including health benefits plans for both their office and staff through the ODA Wellness Trust. Additionally, special pricing for malpractice coverage is available through MedPro, disability coverage through Principal, Workers Comp group rating discounts, and savings on credit card processing fees from Best Card. The list also includes discounts with CyraCom, an interpretation service that helps dentists comply with regulatory mandates. Get in touch with our ODA staff for further information about these and additional products and services.
Did you know that the Ohio Dentist Loan Repayment program has had 41 placements to date? The goal of this dentist funded program is to address our access to care concerns in underserved communities. The recipients receive $25,000 annually in years one and two, and $35,000 annually in years three and four of this program. Our data shows that 2/3 of the recipient dentists end up staying in these underserved areas after the loan repayment obligation is completed! Other public service programs offered by the ODA include the Give Kids A Smile program, the Dental OPTIONS program, and over $40 million of donated dental services annually by our members.
To conclude, it was a great meeting, and a wonderful opportunity to introduce organized dentistry to our future colleagues. We were trying to do our part to change the trajectory on membership and we tried to emphasize that the ODA is your partner for success from your first year of dental school to retirement.
