CHOPRA ELECTED ADA SEVENTH DISTRICT TRUSTEE AND BEGINS TERM AS ODA PRESIDENT
During the ODA House of Delegates meeting in September in Columbus, Dr. Manish Chopra, a prosthodontist from Cincinnati, was elected to serve a four-year term as ADA Seventh District trustee, beginning in October 2024.
The ADA Board of Trustees is the managing body of the ADA. The Board consists of 17 trustees (one from each trustee district), the president-elect, the two vice presidents and the New Dentist Committee chair – as the voting members of the Board – and the president, treasurer and the executive director as non-voting members of the Board. The ADA Seventh District is made up of the Ohio Dental Association and the Indiana Dental Association, which Chopra will represent on the ADA Board.
Chopra defeated Dr. Matt Messina, a general dentist from Columbus who also serves as the executive editor of the ODA, in an election during the ODA House of Delegates meeting. Following the announcement of the election results, Messina offered Chopra congratulations and best wishes, saying “I am confident that Manny will represent us well at the ADA in the future.”
Chopra has a long history of leadership at all levels of organized dentistry, including having served as president of the Cincinnati Dental Society, chair of the ODA’s Council on Dental Care Programs and Dental Practice, and chair of the ADA’s Council on Dental Practice.
Chopra was also sworn in as ODA president during the House of Delegates meeting in September. ODA Executive Director David Owsiany pointed out that Chopra will have a busy year as ODA president before he starts his term as ADA Seventh District Trustee, stating “I am sure Dr. Chopra will hit the ground running as ODA president with all of the challenges and opportunities we are facing as an organization and profession.”
One area of focus will likely be encouraging ODA member dentists to consider treating patients served by Medicaid benefits. According to Chopra, “our advocacy efforts resulted in an historic increase in funding with many dental Medicaid reimbursements going up by more than 90% effective Jan. 1, 2024. It is a good time for Ohio dentists to consider their role in treating Medicaid patients. And if that is not right for their practice, they should consider participating in the Dental OPTIONS program, which allows dentists to provide free or reduced fee care to underserved patients who do not have private insurance or Medicaid benefits.”
Chopra, who is a Medicaid provider, is confident ODA members are prepared to help address the access to dental care issues that exist in Ohio. Chopra said, “I know how caring and compassionate my colleagues are and am confident they will step up to address this issue.”
