Florida Dental Association
House of Delegates Report for June 17-18 2009 HOD Annual Session
Submitted by Dr. Timothy Pruett for the Lake County Dental Association
September 14, 2009

The Florida Dental Association (FDA) is addressing and continues to address the following topics:

1) The FDA continues to support holding two annual meetings. This will consist of a two-day annual session in June and initiating a new pilot one-day session in January in an effort to continue to inform and involve grass roots dentists while lowering cost and improving efficiency. This will be accomplished with an emphasis on utilizing enhanced/efficient information sharing techniques.

2) The FDA continues to support the development and refinement of its Leadership Institute by developing applicant selection and graduation criteria.

3) The FDA HOD clarified its definition of a “Dental Home” as the ongoing relationship between the dentist and the patient, inclusive of all aspects of oral health care delivered in a comprehensive, continuously accessible, coordinated, and family centered way. Establishment of a dental home begins no later than 12 months of age and includes referral to dental specialists when appropriate

. 4) Concerning Dental Specialty Advertising, the FDA HOD ADOPTED the following resolution: WHEREAS, the FDA believes the ADA guidelines for first, recognizing dental specialty areas and second, recognizing accrediting organizations in dental specialty areas are valuable programs but largely inconsequential when patients select dental specialists; therefore be it RESOLVED, that the FDA BOT ask appropriate FDA agencies to seek a national public relations campaign developed by the ADA Council on Communications; and be it further RESOLVED, that the ADA public relations campaign emphasize to patients what it means to be an ADA member and/or a specialist in an ADA-recognized dental specialty area; and be it further RESOLVED, that the goal of the ADA public relations campaign is to have the public come to rely on ADA recognition of members, specialties and accrediting organizations consistent with the ADA Code of Ethics.

5) Concerning the Loan Repayment Program, the FDA HOD ADOPTED the following resolution by unanimous consent: WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature has declined to fund the loan repayment program found in section 381.0302, Florida Statutes, and WHEREAS, such a program would help encourage dentists to practice in underserved areas. Therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the appropriate agencies of the FDA study and develop a model to address the feasibility of a Student Loan Repayment Program, whereby, a recent dental graduate could get partial repayment of his or her student loans in return for service in an underserved dental area, and be it further, RESOLVED, that the appropriate agency report back to the next meeting of the FDA House of Delegates.

6) The FDA HOD adopted by unanimous consent the establishment of Affiliate Fluoridation Contact Dentists: WHEREAS, the Florida Dental Association has existing policies supporting optimal levels of fluoride in public water systems; and WHERAS, the current economic crisis is forcing many local municipalities to consider cost cutting measures, including the deletion of funds associated with providing optimal levels of fluoridation in its water supply; and WHEREAS, the FDA has been successful in convincing many local municipalities to continue funding of fluoridation in instances that local dentists have been afforded the opportunity to educate public officials on the merits of fluoridation; and WHEREAS, the key to preventing a cut in local fluoridation budgets is mounting a campaign coordinated by a local member of the FDA. Therefore be it RESOLVED, that the FDA charge the appropriate agency to maintain a fluoridation contact dentist(s) in each affiliate. And be it further RESOLVED, that the appropriate FDA agency maintain up to-date information about fluoridation on the FDA’s web site as an educational resource for affiliate fluoridation contact dentists.