TOP 10 MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS OF 2022
We addressed workforce issues
The ODA’s Workforce Working Group met 15 times over the past year and held a forum with the state’s dental hygiene program directors to develop both policy and program recommendations to assist ODA member dentists in meeting their staffing requirements. The ODA also signed onto two letters to the Commission on Dental Accreditation advocating for changes to dental hygiene and assisting programs that would allow programs to increase capacity while possibly decreasing per capita operational expenses. Additionally, the ODA supported an amendment to the Ohio Dental Practice Act creating a third pathway to becoming a certified dental assistant in Ohio by allowing dental assistants to secure certification through American Medical Technologists.
We advocated on behalf of ODA members
In this legislative session the ODA has testified numerous times on insurance bills and is waiting to hear about the non-covered services legislation this month in the lame duck legislative session. Further, the legislative team has actively tracked 145 bills in the House and Senate over the last year. The ODA was instrumental in getting an amendment into the e-prescribing bill that passed in July. The amendment allowed for prescribers who write less than 50 schedule II prescriptions per year to be completely exempted from the e-prescribing mandate. Over 30 states have e-prescribing mandates and only two others have an exemption for small prescribers. In the national trend of e-prescribing this amendment protects those who write few prescriptions from a large administrative burden. Lastly, the General Assembly did not introduce a bill to authorize dental therapists to practice in Ohio. In a time where more than 10 states have passed similar laws, Ohio has not even had a bill introduced.
We helped members save money through our ODA Services Corp.-endorsed partners
ODA members can save up to 30% on products and services through the ODA Services Corp. In 2022, the ODA Services Corp. added Whiteboard Marketing, a national dental digital marketing agency, as a new endorsed partner. The ODA Wellness Trust, our exclusive health benefits plan, continues to be one of the most utilized programs through the ODA Services Corp. with more than 1,600 participants.
We helped members resolve dental insurance issues
We helped address issues that 21 members had with insurance companies and third-party payers that they were unable to resolve on their own, and answered questions about dental insurance issues via phone and email from more than 200 members.
We helped relaunch the Dental OPTIONS Program
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) contracted with the Dental Lifeline Network earlier this year to operate the Dental OPTIONS Program after program operations had been put on hold for several years. Dental OPTIONS – Ohio Partnership to Improve Oral Health through Access to Needed Services – is a partnership between the ODA and the Ohio Department of Health that provides dental care to patients who don’t qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford dental care.
We offered networking opportunities
We offered opportunities for dentists to meet with friends and colleagues from across the state at events including:
- ODA Annual Session
- ODA Leadership Institute
- New Dentist Zoo Day
- Life in the Real World
The Subcouncil on New Dentists also held several social events in conjunction with ODA Annual Session and Leadership Institute.
We worked to resolve issues with Medicaid
The ODA helped dentists resolve issues with the Ohio Department of Medicaid’s Episodes of Care Program, which required some dentists to return money for care provided to patients covered by Ohio Medicaid, ranging from hundreds of dollars to over $60,000. The ODA responded by working with member dentists who contacted the ODA, communicating behind the scenes with ODM staff and filing a formal complaint with ODM. Numerous ODA members have contacted the ODA to report their appeals were successful and that they no longer had to repay any money to the state. The ODA has also met with Medicaid to begin a discussion on fee increases and covering nitrous oxide in the future.
We provided discounted CE
The 2022 ODA Annual Session featured 64 CE courses presented by local and national experts, plus 18 hours of additional free online CE courses. ODA Annual Session featured many hands-on workshops, team building courses, front office courses and more, and members received a discounted price. Leadership Institute also featured the opportunity for attendees to earn up to four free hours of CE.
We offered resources to help dentists find a job or hire an associate or purchase or sell a practice
The ODA Subcouncil on New Dentists hosted two MATCH events to help dentists, dental residents and dental students who are looking for a job match up with dentists who are preparing for a practice transition or looking to expand their practice. Additionally, the ODA website features a Jobs & Ads Board, available exclusively to ODA members. Dentists looking for an associateship position, to buy a practice, to purchase equipment, or rent space can find listings on our Jobs & Ads Board. And members receive a discount when placing an ad.
We secured a discount on an e-prescribing app for ODA members
We negotiated a discount with iPrescribe, a mobile e-prescribing solution, to help members meet the new e-prescribing requirement when writing more than 50 schedule II-controlled substances per year.
