Author: Todd Odenweller

A fist bump is a gesture similar in meaning to a handshake or high-five. A fist bump is also considered to be a symbol of giving respect. Widespread use of the gesture and the term has been exploding in recent years. It caught the attention of the editors of the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Noticing a surge in the use of the phrase “fist ... [continue reading]

Ohio Gov. John Kasich recently appointed Dr. Bill Anderson and Dr. Burton Job to the Ohio State Dental Board. Anderson is a general dentist from Findlay. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry in 1998. He has served as a delegate to the Ohio Dental Association since 2010 and is a board ... [continue reading]

The White House announced on May 18 its final rule updating overtime regulations. The new rule states that in order to be exempt from overtime pay, compensation must be at least $913 per week, or $47,476 per year. The current threshold is $455 per week under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The new rates will go into effect on Dec. 1, 2016, and ... [continue reading]

The deadline for the ODA Foundation scholarship and grant applications for 2016 is July 1. Dental students who will enter their second, third and fourth year of dental school in September 2016, are Ohio residents, are members of ASDA and have financial need are eligible to apply for an ODA Foundation Dental Student Scholarship. OSU students ... [continue reading]

This year, 138 graduating dental students signed up for organized dentistry through National Signing Day events at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. The ADA’s National Signing Day program aims to increase visibility and awareness of membership in organized ... [continue reading]

The Ohio State University College of Dentistry and Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine chapters of the American Student Dental Association both received ASDA Gold Crown Awards. CWRU won the Gold Crown Award for Quality of Website Information and OSU won first place for Predental Recruitment Initiative. ASDA Gold Crown Awards ... [continue reading]

The American Dental Association’s consumer website, mouthhealthy.org, features a "Find a Dentist" section. Nearly 20,000 patients use this function to search for a dentist every month. The Ohio Dental Association also refers patients to the ADA’s “Find a Dentist” search feature to find a dentist in their area. Over the past ... [continue reading]

Much has been made of Justice Antonin Scalia's recent death. Conservatives view his death as a great loss for America and the U.S. Supreme Court. Liberals view it as an opportunity to add another progressive voice to America’s highest court. Unquestionably, Scalia had a significant impact on American law over the last 30 years. It is unclear ... [continue reading]

The annual ODA Foundation raffle is one of the primary sources of funding for oral health-related grants and scholarships. Raffle tickets are $100 each, two for $175 or six for $500, and only 700 will be sold. This year’s raffle prizes are: Winner’s choice of a 2 year/10,000 mile lease (terms established by Crown Mercedes) on a 2016 ... [continue reading]

The Medicaid fee-for-service program is starting another round of revalidating providers. Federal regulation requires state Medicaid agencies to revalidate the enrollment of all Medicaid providers at least every five years. While this revalidation cycle is not focused on dentists, revalidation letters are being sent to certain providers. Providers ... [continue reading]