Author: Amy Szmania

Most healthcare providers know that a patient's signature on an informed consent document may not automatically make the consent valid. The same is true of informed refusal. Both of these concepts rely on ethical and legal guidelines that acknowledge the right of competent adults to determine the course of their healthcare. The decision-making ... [continue reading]

The celebration has culminated with the creation of an eBook commemorating its 150th anniversary. The eBook, "Ohio Dental Association: 150 Years of Excellence," includes a timeline plus information about advocacy, education, ethics and more throughout the association’s history. The ODA also celebrated throughout the year with articles and ... [continue reading]

This year, the Ohio Dental Political Action Committee raised more than $258,000. More than 34 percent of members contributed to ODPAC, with an average contribution of about $167. ODPAC’s contribution cycle runs from Nov. 1 to Oct. 31. ODPAC is dentistry’s voice in the political arena and has a proven history of protecting dentists, ... [continue reading]

The ODA is now accepting grant applications for component dental society recruitment programs in 2017. The proposed program must be a recruitment initiative with the goal of obtaining new members, and events cannot be purely social. There must be time designated to present benefits of membership. Events must be held by December 31, 2017, and ... [continue reading]

The ODA is seeking nominations for the Membership Award Program for Success (MAP for Success). MAP for Success rewards local component dental societies for their recruitment and retention efforts. Local dental societies continually hold events and programs in their communities to engage member and nonmember dentists, and the ODA would like to ... [continue reading]

Beau Calcei from the OHIO Project, a program where fourth-year dental students at The Ohio State University spend 50 days providing care in community clinics, with Tina Lee, a dental assistant for the Traveling Smiles program. Traveling Smiles, Miami County Portable Dentistry, received the ODA Foundation's first Callahan/Henry Schein ... [continue reading]

The dental profession began using disposable gloves nearly three decades ago but until recently, the long-term ergonomic effects of prolonged use of gloves were largely unknown. While highly effective in preventing cross-contamination and ensuring clinician and patient safety, the daily use of traditional disposable gloves can contribute to ... [continue reading]

Closing a dental practice many times is much more complicated than turning off the lights and locking the door. As dentists contemplate the closure of an office, there are several key points to consider. Announcing the closure of a practice is a critical step in the process that could cause difficulty for the dentist if not handled ... [continue reading]

The Ohio Dental Association seeks members to fill potential upcoming vacant at-large positions on ODA councils. The ODA is seeking nominations for at-large positions on the association’s Council on Access to Care and Public Service, Council on Dental Care Programs and Dental Practice and the Council on Membership Services. Nominations for ... [continue reading]

In late August, Dr. Manny Chopra, chairman of Ohio Dental Association Council on Dental Care Programs and Dental Practice, canceled a day's worth of patient appointments to travel with me to Okemos, Michigan to meet with the upper management of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana regarding Delta's response to the Center for Medicare and ... [continue reading]