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Dentists Make Big Decisions During Winter House of Delegates Weekend More than 130 delegates, alternate delegates, and guests took part in the GDA House of Delegates on Sunday, January 13, in Atlanta. Thanks to these volunteers who attended district caucus meetings starting at 7 a.m. and then took part in the House of Delegates. Among the topics discussed were the recent Georgia dental workforce census and study; state officer, ADA Delegation, and Board of Trustees candidates; the Georgia Mission of Mercy; new GDA Honorable Fellows; and the 2013 state legislative session. Guest speakers included Board of Dentistry President Dr. Barry Stacey, College of Dental Medicine Dean Dr. Connie Drisko, and Emile T. Fisher Foundation for Dental Education President Mr. Dale Crail. This article touches on some of the key events of the House of Delegates meeting. Full minutes of the meeting are posted on the GDA web site www.gadental.org for review (member log in is required).
President Tourial Offers State of the GDA Address President Dr. Sidney Tourial opened the meeting by highlighting GDA activities over the past six months. He noted that the recent census conducted of the state’s dental workforce revealed that Georgia’s supply of dentists was sufficient to meet current dental demand. Dr. Tourial stated that the GDA fully intended to use the census to direct continued efforts to educate all Georgians on the importance of oral health care and help ensure that dentists and their teams are available to provide that care. Dr. Tourial welcomed Meg Robinson, the new GDA Director of Governmental Affairs. She will work with Executive Director Martha Phillips during the state legislative session and with General Counsel Melana McClatchey as a staff attorney when the session is completed. He also encouraged dentists to volunteer as Contact Dentists and to attend a GDA LAW Day, and noted the importance and value of GDA advocacy efforts with legislators.
Dr. Tourial stated the dates and location for the 2013 Georgia Mission of Mercy, June 13-16 at the North Atlanta Trade Center in Gwinnett County, and encouraged dentists to visit www.georgiamissionofmercy.org to volunteer to provide care. Volunteer registration opened February 1. The GMOM event in 2011 benefitted from the volunteer services of 346 dentists, and that many dentists and more will be needed to provide care in 2013.
Executive Director Phillips Talks Advocacy Executive Director Martha Phillips discussed issues related to GDA legislative activity and advocacy, and noted trends in the areas of corporate dentistry, GDA membership, dentistry as a business, taxes, Georgia economic growth, and mid-level providers. She congratulated Dr. Donna Thomas Moses on her appointment to the Department of Community Health Board and Dr. Randy Daniel on his appointment to the state Commission on Mandated Benefits. (DCH oversees the state Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids plans, as well as the State Health Benefit Plan. The Commission will advise the governor and legislature on the social and financial impact of current and proposed state mandated insurance benefits.) Mrs. Phillips discussed that dental Medicaid provider fee cuts might be introduced during the legislative session if the so-called “hospital bed tax” was not renewed, and encouraged dentists to attend a LAW Day to speak out for the dental Medicaid program. She also touched on the other legislative goals for the GDA in 2013: creation of an autonomous Board of Dentistry, and establishment of tax credits for dentists who set up practice in underserved areas of the state.
GDA Honorable Fellows Elected Dr. Marvin Winter, chairman of the Awards Committee introduced a slate of candidates for GDA Honorable Fellowship for House of Delegates
consideration. The candidates were unanimously approved. Congratulations to the Class of 2013 Fellows who will be formally recognized during the Annual Meeting this summer: Donald F. Brown, DDS (Northern) Jay A. Harris, DMD (Western) A. Stuart Loos, DDS (Northwestern) Jay McCaslin VI, DMD (Southeastern) John H. Muse, DDS (Northern) Erik H. Wells, DMD (Eastern) Michael M. Wright, DDS (Central)
HOUSE OF DELEGATES Continued on page 12
Georgia Dental Association Political Action Committee Chairman Dr. Richard Weinman with Dr. Deena Smith. GADPAC held a prize drawing from the names of all current PAC donors at the meeting and awarded $50 cash to Dr. Smith and Dr. Victor van Greuningen. GDA ACTION FEBRUARY 2013
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