Category: Advocacy, ODPAC & Legislation

In April, over 100 Ohio Dental Association member dentists and 50 dental students visited Columbus to meet with legislators and discuss the legislative issues of importance to dentistry as part of the annual ODA Day at the Statehouse. Their participation could not have come at a better time. The legislature is nearing completion of its work before ... [continue reading]

Day at the Statehouse, the Ohio Dental Association's most important legislative advocacy event, is set for Wednesday, April 9, at the Sheraton on Capitol Square in Columbus. The 2014 ODA Day at the Statehouse will be April 9 at the Sheraton on Capitol Square. Attendees will meet with their legislators to discuss issues important ... [continue reading]

“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” – Plato Think about that quote for a second. No, really think about it. Calling someone inferior is certainly a harsh critique, but I am only talking in terms of dental education. Do you think your state legislators have an ... [continue reading]

ODA Staff Dr. Kip Beals, a general dentist from Marion, meets with state Rep. Dorothy Pelanda at last year’s Day at the Statehouse. This year’s event will be April 9 in Columbus. Day at the Statehouse, the Ohio Dental Association's most important legislative advocacy event, is set for Wednesday, April 9, in downtown ... [continue reading]

Despite passing two comprehensive overhauls of Ohio’s prescription drug regulations last legislative session, the Ohio General Assembly continues to aggressively pursue legislative solutions to Ohio’s opioid problem.  This fall, members of the House of Representatives introduced at least 12 separate bills aimed at addressing opioid abuse and ... [continue reading]

In September, the Ohio Dental Association’s House of Delegates overwhelmingly approved a comprehensive list of legislative initiatives developed by the Task Force on Access to Care and Auxiliary Utilization aimed at improving access to quality, comprehensive dental care. The initiatives are a collection of recommendations compiled by the task ... [continue reading]

In 2010, the Ohio General Assembly, with the backing of the Ohio Dental Association and Ohio Dental Hygienists' Association, created the Oral Health Access Supervision Program (OHASP). OHASP allows dentists to utilize dental hygienists in designated underserved locations outside of the traditional office setting under a relaxed level of ... [continue reading]

November’s election is in the rearview mirror for most observers, and politics is set to take a back seat for another four years.  But for ODPAC, the Ohio Dental Political Action Committee, the work of defending Ohio’s dentists and dental patients is just beginning. Health care is in the midst of transformative change, and many issues ... [continue reading]

2012 was another banner year for the Ohio Dental Association in the legislative arena. The success of this past year can be attributed to an integrated three-prong approach to legislative advocacy that combines focused executive leadership, grassroots advocacy and a strong political action committee. The ODA’s executive committee directs the ... [continue reading]

     On Nov. 14, 2012, the Ohio House Insurance Committee heard testimony from interested parties on House Bill 497, the Ohio Dental Association-supported bill that would prohibit dental insurers from establishing fee schedules on dental services that the insurers do not cover for enrollees.  State Rep. Bob Hackett (R-London) introduced HB ... [continue reading]