THE ODA ADVOCATES ON YOUR BEHALF, SERVES YOUR PRACTICE, AND PROVIDES YOU WITH INFORMATION
Advocacy is rated as one of the top membership benefits. Each year, ODA leaders, lobbyists and legal counsel track dozens of bills and numerous regulations that impact the practice of dentistry and lobby on behalf of the profession and dental patients.
Membership in the Ohio Dental Association has many benefits designed not only to help you in your daily practice but also to further the development of the dental profession. As an ODA member, you have access to valuable tools, discounts, knowledge, services, support and resources to help you be successful in your practice and provide the best available treatment to your patients.
We Advocate
Each year, ODA leaders, lobbyists and legal counsel track dozens of bills and numerous regulations that impact the practice of dentistry. We work to:
- Protect against unnecessary government intrusion.
- Fight unfair insurance practices and frivolous lawsuits.
- Improve access to quality, comprehensive dental care.
- Promote office efficiency.
During the most recent legislative session, the ODA’s advocacy efforts have seen several major wins:
- Legislation prohibiting insurance companies from forcing dentists to accept fees for non-covered services was signed into law.
- The state passed a 93% increase in dental Medicaid reimbursement.
- Ohio took another step in leading the way for practice portability in dentistry by entering into the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Licensure Compact.
We represent your best interests when speaking to third-parties such as state policymakers, insurance companies and third-party payers.
“Advocacy is one of the top reasons ODA members renew their membership each year,” said Dr. Kim Gardner, chair of the ODA Political Action Committee. “For many years our grassroots dentists and our governmental professionals have worked side by side to cultivate relationships with our elected representatives. As a result we have been hugely successful in getting many of our bills passed. The process is incredibly slow, most of the time, but through persistence and a unified message, action is accomplished and legislation results. Recently the state legislature passed and the governor signed a bill to stop the unfair practice of insurance companies dictating fees for services that they did not cover. We also saw a Dental Compact bill passed which opened the way for individuals licensed in other states to provide care to Ohioans. This was especially valuable to our military personnel who spend time in our state serving those who protect us.”
We Serve
The ODA works hard to serve members. ODA services can help you:
- Connect with like-minded dentists from across the state.
- Get involved in your community to improve access to dental care.
- Hire new staff members by attracting new dental assistants and hygienists into the workforce by airing radio advertising campaigns across the state the highlight the benefits of becoming a dental assistant or hygienist.
- Save time and money with endorsed products and discounts including dental supplies and equipment, health benefits for you and your staff and insurance products.
“The goal of the ODA Services Corp. is to offer premium products and services that are useful for the everyday needs of our members,” said Dr. Joe Crowley, chair of the ODA Services Corp. “With the success of the ODA Services Corp., revenue is generated to help stabilize the overall ODA operations, ultimately keeping yearly dues cost in check. To have access to useful quality products while keeping dues affordable contributes to the value of belonging to the ODA.”
We Inform
From regulatory compliance and legal updates to insurance issues and opinion pieces, the ODA is your best resource for information related to dentistry in Ohio.
As a member of the ODA, you have access to:
- The “ODA Today” and “NewsBites” with important information and updates for your dental practice.
- ODA staff members to answer your questions.
- Resources and information on the ODA website.
- Affordable CE opportunities.
RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
ODA membership renewal for 2025 will be opening soon. Membership dues are due Jan. 1, 2025 for the 2025 membership year.
Watch your inbox and mailbox for your 2025 dues statement.
