HDA Women's Edition Spring 2013 News & Reports by Hispanic Dental Association

Issue Number 172 Spring 2013 1111 14th St. NW., Suite #1100, Washington, DC, 20005 hispanicdental@HDAssoc.org • www.HDAssoc.org

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HDA President’s Corner p. 4 Women in Dentistry: Perspectives p. 6

“Growing up, I actually wanted to be a dentist”

Greater San Antonio 2013 Gala p. 7 Women in Focus p. 8 Out & About p. 10 Federal Update p. 12 Education @ HSDA Chapters p. 13 Your Digital Footprint p. 15 HDA Foundation Scholarships p. 15

What you didn’t know about Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) is known for her leadership on national security, intelligence, and counterterrorism issues. She has championed human rights protections for the Vietnamese community and as the highest-ranking female member on the House Armed Services Committee has led an allfemale delegation to Afghanistan to meet with women and better understand their role and perspective in combat. With more than 15 years of experience on The Hill, most people

who know the Latina leader would never guess where her professional career began. Before Congresswoman Sanchez was elected to office, and prior to her career as an investment banker she states, “growing up, I actually wanted to be a dentist”. Early exposure to dental careers spurred Sanchez to pursue additional training while in high school through an after-school vocational program allowing her to become a dental assistant.

Continued on page 3

News & Reports Message from the Executive Director For over 23 years the Hispanic Dental Association has provided opportunities for oral health professionals to shine at the national level. Our mission and vision have always been part of how these professionals showcase their skills and talents. Some have led in areas of service others in the education and advocacy realm but all have been leaders. From HDA’s initial creation through its growth years, the management years and now its national presence in Washington DC, these leaders have come from varied life and professional experiences. Additionally, we have been fortunate to have had some amazing women both as board members and association presidents. Since our Spring issue is focusing on Women and their impact on our association and society at large, I want to give thanks to all the female leaders who have served as Presidents of the Hispanic Dental Association. Some, like Dr. Yolanda Bonta, who have broken ground as trail blazers, others have nurtured growth and taken the association to new heights. The following women served as HDA presidents and deserve our thanks and recognition; Josephine Rosa (1992), Aidee Nieto-Herman (1996), Diana Galvis (1996), Kathleen Alvarez (2001), Martha Baez (2003), Sarita Arteaga (2007-2008), Margo Melchor (2011), Lilia Larin (2012), Maritza Morell (2013). Many thanks to them and their families for their sacrifice, years of service, leadership, and contributions. Please enjoy this issue as we work to tie in all our products visually, and to represent our mission and the new charge at the National HDA Office in Washington DC.

Gracias, David Pena, Jr Executive Director / CEO Hispanic Dental Association

Upcoming Events

CONECTATE A HDA

June 19-25 100 Years of Dental HygieneADHA Annual Session, Boston, MA

July 20-23 NCLR Annual Conference,

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New Orleans, LA 26-30 National Dental Association 100th Anniversary, Washington DC

2013 Board of Trustees President Maritza Morell, DMD, MS, MPH Boston, MA President-Elect Tyrone Rodriguez, DDS Moses Lake, WA

Editor’s Note

Treasurer Vidal Balderas, DDS, MPH San Antonio, TX

The weeks leading up to the publication of News & Reports are expectedly busier than most weeks in my corner of HDA. This time around, because of the timing of some events outside of work, I felt like my calendar had plotted against me: it was also Mother’s day, best friend’s wedding weekend and car shopping time almost all at once leaving me essentially without a single hour of true rest for my body and mind. Yet it was during moments when I simply wanted to give up and fall asleep right where I was (which I did sometimes) that in editing this issue on HDA’s mujeres I gained unanticipated inspiration to re-energize my thoughts and persevere through my own goals. While interviewing past presidents who have had decades-long impact as mentors for Latinos in dentistry like Dr. Aidee Herman or Dr. Maritza Morell and our immediate pastpresident, Dr. Lilia Larin who have put so much of their heart and soul into the recent work of HDA, I realized that my occasional work-life overload is rather a way of life for many of these women and they have masterfully maintained, shifted and succeeded in this balance setting an example for new generations of women to accomplish even more than they thought they could. In this issue we will zero in on their lives, sources of inspiration, and perspectives of work-life-association balance spanning generations of HDA women leaders.

Immediate Past President Lilia Larin, DDS National City, CA

HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

Trustees Amaralis Jacobo, DDS New York, NY Michael Lopez Mountain View, CA Mildred McClain, PHN, PhD Las Vegas, NV Zuzana Mendez, DDS Boston, MA Ricardo Mendoza, DDS Chicago, IL Frank Ramos, DDS San Antonio, TX Esperanza Rodriguez, DDS Bronx, NY Student Trustee Martha Orozco Houston, TX Executive Director / CEO David Pena, Jr. Washington, DC David Pena, Jr. Executive Director / CEO Carolina Pena, Newsletter Editor HDA News & Reports is published four times annually by the Hispanic Dental Association, and distributed to members and other dental professionals interested in the oral health of the Hispanic population. ©2013 Hispanic Dental Association

Did you enjoy this Spring Issue of News & Reports? We want your feedback- both positive and constructive so we can do better next time. E-mail us at cpena@hdassoc.org with your comments & we may send you some HDA goodies!

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News & Reports

What you didn’t know about Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez

Her Dental Beginnings & Lifelong Emphasis on Education By Carolina Peña

Continued from page 1 She enjoyed the hands-on work complimented by a curiosity in the sciences. “I saw a lot of application to the book work I was doing in school. In AP chemistry and had a lot of chances to pour molds and do things in the back room. When you write an equation it’s one thing but when you actually see two cold substances mix and turn warm, it is another story,” says Sanchez.

only really understood and learned about how to better take care of themselves.” Today, one of her main concerns regarding the health of Americans is that very few people have dental insurance. “Lack of coverage for Latinos is acute and although there are some low-income programs to cover children, I am more concerned for the parents who just don’t have access to dental care”.

As in many communities in the U.S., Congresswoman Sanchez saw firsthand how economic barriers left many out of the umbrella of preventative dental care. At the same time, the example she observed from the provider also left an impression. She remembers, “the dentist I worked with was of the Mormon faith and it is in their philosophy to help the underserved, so we worked on a lot of Latinos, usually at much lower rates than the usual patients.” Although her experience lasted only one year, there were lessons left imprinted that would help to form life-long values in her years of public service.

Our conversation never deviated too far from the correlation of oral health for Latinos and the importance of education. Congresswoman Sanchez views her most important contribution to the improvement of oral health to be that young Latinos enter the STEM pipeline and become interested in science so that one day they pursue dentistry. “The crucial problem is that we don’t have the representation of our own working in the community- whether that is doctors, nurses, dentists, etc.” The Congresswoman understood, less than five minutes into our interview, that this is where the rubber meets the road. If we cannot get our own health professionals to enter our communities with culturally appropriate services to set up practices, then we are not investing or keeping up with the future of our country. Congresswoman Sanchez has helped bring millions in grants to HSI (Hispanic Serving Institutions) universities like California State University, Fullerton,

Looking back at the most important lessons from her experience as a dental assistant, Congresswoman Sanchez is keen on the power of education to shape personal behavior. “Because of a lack of information people have poor health. There are very simple things that they can change if they

Her Word To Women: “Focus on you. You have to be healthy, so you can think clearly so you can help people. If you let yourself go, you will not be very helpful. Secondly, don’t stress about everything you have to do but take it one day at a time”. thereby strengthening the pipeline through education, funding priorities that enable more Hispanics to serve and expand access to oral health. In addition to funding HSIs, support also means expanding scholarship opportunities, college pathway programs like Trio, Puente and increasing loan-forgiveness programs to enable recent graduates to give back to underserved communities. For Congresswoman Sanchez as with HDA members, the progress of America lies with a strong Latino population and as she closed our short but valuable discussion to head to the next committee meeting, she firmly asserted, “the sooner we put in place information and prevention programs, the better off we will be as a nation”.

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO RUN FOR OFFICE? “I WENT TO TALK TO MY MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND HE REFUSED TO MEET WITH ME SO I WENT BACK HOME TO MY FAMILY AND TOLD THEM I WANTED TO RUN FOR CONGRESS.”

Advocacy Day, 2012 From left, Tara Hogan-Charles of Procter and Gamble, Dr. Sarita Arteaga, DMD, HDA Foundation Chair, Veronica Sanchez, Ph.D., of Procter and Gamble, Dr. R. Ivan Lugo, DMD, of Procter and Gamble, Dr. Lilia Larin, DDS, of HDA, Dr. Keith Suchy, DDS, Oral Health America (OHA), Rep. Loretta Sanchez of California, Dr. Tyrone Rodriguez, DDS, of HDA and Beth Truett, OHA President, stand together during a Day of Advocacy, hosted by the HDA, OHA, Crest and Oral-B, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012 in Washington. The event was organized to raise awareness of oral health disparities in the United States. (Steve Ruark /AP Images for Crest and Oral-B)

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HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

News & Reports

HDAident’s Presner Cor r Stay! Save the Date & Book You ting Committee, On behalf of the Annual Mee us make our help to you e I want to invit n a memorable upcoming annual conventio ion is open and and successful one. Registrat e online. HDA mad be can ions hotel reservat tific program is diligently planning a scien d health care rate integ oting prom on sing focu tion to help bora colla nal and interprofessio n’s oral health find a path to propel our natio achieve better agenda forward and help ity. I hope mun Com anic health for the Hisp of the future! you join us in what is the way at our HDA I hope that you all join us

ng our Legacy... Annual Meeting: “Honori to be held on re” Futu our ing brat Cele Boston, MA at in 3 201 9, 26-2 September a. Plaz ley the Boston Marriott Cop

Dear HDA Members:

Dr. Morell was joined by HDA President-Elect, Dr. Tyrone Rodriguez, at the Ame rican Dental Education Association (ADEA) conference in Seattle, Washington. Dr Tyro ne Rodriguez participated as one of the mai n gave a lively point-counterpoint discussion on the dental education of new emerging wor kforce models like midlevel providers and the community’s diverse perspectives on educatin g new types of dental professionals. He was joined on stage by Dr. Louis W. Sullivan , M.D., tenured as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from 1989 to 1993, who informe d the audience on alternative models of hea lth services currently efficiently used in the medical field.

I am extremely excited about the progress we’ve made in 2013 so far. Thanks to the visionary leaders that helped craft our Strategic Plan we are increasingly broadening our reach as we envisioned when we first moved to Washington DC. Mr. David Pena and I have met frequently to make sure that the HDA continues making strides and now that the office is on its own feet, with the support of Carolina Pena, Communications & Membership Coordinator, our Board leadership has continued to execute on the goals set during our January Strategic Meeting at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Some of the highlight accomplishments since that meeting include: • A revamped HDA website and the News & Reports newsletter • Obtaining member’s feedback via survey gathering topics of interest and CME credits • Improved communications between the chapters and the national office • New weekly e-briefs to communicate with various stakeholders • Strengthened relationships with other national premier dental organizations for ethnic minorities: National Dental Association (NDA) and Society of American Indians (SAID).

of the University Dr. Morell, Alexandra Aponte Melissa Uriegas, y, tistr of Texas School of Den and Dr. Tyrone t) (righ tee Trus ent Stud former HDA Rodriguez. rsity and Inclusion We joined sessions on Dive er of alliances to pow in dental education and the petency com ic uist ling and ural promote cult

out Dr. Morell continues to reach and to other professional groups with strengthen our relationships onal Nati the of ts iden the pres Dr. Dental Association (NDA), of Ed Chappelle and Society Ruth Dr D), (SAI ans Indi American fy Bol. These collaborations forti e to the common bond we shar s collectively represent the need an and concerns of Hispanics, Afric ans American and American Indi ally who have been tradition providers while underserved the are still underrepresented in health profession.

Dr. Ed Chappelle Jr., Presiden t NDA, Dr. Ruth Bol, SAID President, Melissa Uriegas UT Houston Student and Past HDA Student Trustee and Bob Johns Executive Director of NDA.

HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

• Reaching out and creating allies in other professional groups while increasing our exposure is a priority. We’ve done this recently with the American Dental Association (ADA), National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA) and the American Academy of Public Health Dentists (AAPHD). • Members of the HDA have been a tremendous resource in getting our exposure out as they lecture and work with various organizations around the world. In the near future we are about to consolidate our reaching out to other professional groups in Latin America and Puerto Rico. • HDA continues to grow and expand our membership. This is essential to any organization and membership recruitment is its lifeblood. The success of the membership committee is such a high priority at this time, I have asked the chair of our membership committee,

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News & Reports ence 2013, Huntsville, Al. National Oral Health Confer Dr Esperanza Rodriguez to work on this effort tirelessly. However, it is up to each one of us to promote the National HDA and recruit new members who share our mission and mission. Ask your friends and colleagues to become active with the HDA. That’s how I became a member, at the invitation and persuasion of Dr. Francisco RamosGomez, former HDA President. If each of us did the same, we could double our size in no time at all!

tal ciation of State Territorial Den annual meeting of the Asso ). The PHD (AA y NOHC is the joint scientific tistr Den lth Hea lic rican Association of Pub Directors (ASTDD) and the Ame y, Science and Practice” poring Oral health System: Polic 3-Ex 201 y ysse “Od d title conference Control and Prevention ase Dise for tation from the Centers carried wide federal represen ices (HHS) agency officials ent of Health and Human Serv (CDC) and the U.S. Departm ible when policy, science, poss is t think differently about wha encouraged the audience to program update provided a new t. The CDC Water Fluoridation public health and policy mee king water to prevent dental drin in n sted fluoride concentratio recommendation for the adju to 0.7 ppm maximum. caries from the typical 1.2 ppm

A Word on Leadership During our Strategic Planning meeting I remember telling Dr. Ernie Garcia, former HDA President: “Two things that HDA does better than any other organization is: 1) supporting Hispanics in leadership positions who understand the importance of oral health in our community and 2) supporting leaders knowledgeable about how some decisions make our healthcare system more responsive to Latinos.” This is the impetus for why the national HDA is working diligently with sister organizations and sponsors to develop a strong and sustainable leadership program for experienced dentists, student leaders and new dentists who are already leaders, providing them skills, encouragement and motivation to become academicians, executives and board members in organized dentistry, universities, publichealth and corporate arenas. We’re not just trying to advance dentists to become proficient in administration. Like Dr Elena Rios, Executive Director of the National Hispanic Medical Association, says, “You need to turn doctors and other health professionals into top leaders in order to drive change for our Hispanic community from the top down in order to make a true difference.” I am confident we are creating these pathways to leadership and as you will see in the photos, I hope to convey how HDA is connecting with leaders and engaging them in this shared vision.

, AAPHD Pam Tolson, Executive Director NOHC and Maritza Morell at the ama Alab le, tsvil Hun Conference in

HD Vice Dr. Michael Monopoly, AAP y and President, Director of Polic on, Dr. dati Foun st Que Data s Program ident, Catherine Hayes, from MA, Pres ell Mor Dr. and AAPHD

National Hispanic Medical Association Annual Confer Washington, DC ence National Hispanic Medical Asso ciation Annual Meeting in Was hington DC addressed the creation of “medical homes”, a topic HDA has brought up in the past as we focus on patient-centered care along with ADA and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistr (AAPD) which have also prom y oted the idea of “dental hom es”. Federal officials informed us of the anticipated challenge in hea ded our way in the increased demand from newly insured individuals per the Affordable Care Act in 2014.

Mr. David Pena, Dr. Elena Rios, Dr. Maritza Morell, and Dr Tyrone Rodriguez at the National Hispanic Medical Association annual conventio n.

Thank you and enjoy the Women’s edition of our Newsletter! -Dr. Maritza Morell, DMD, MS, MPH With Dr. Elena V. Rios, M.D. , M.S.P.H, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association

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HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

With NHMA’s Board Chairwoman Katherine A. Flores, MD from Fresno, CA

With U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin

News & Reports

Women in Dentistry: Multigenerational Perspectives Humans seem to be wired to aspire for more. We have goals, visions and plans constantly formulating in our minds. Yet, no matter how or where they begin they will almost always change and at time feel at conflict. Yet as goals shift, they adapt to fluctuating stages in life. This is what Dr. Larin demonstrates as her life goals started to blossom by age 17 when she began dental school in Mexico and completed her degree by age 22. By her early 30s, she was a full-fledged entrepreneur managing two dental practices of her own in addition to being a wife and mother to two young children. She did not shy away from high responsibilities: “Because I was used to keeping busy from a very young age I was always very organized and selected my priorities carefully,” says Larin. Even more so as a Latina, she believes that the various roles of women are “more demanding because of the strong sense of family unity and Latina’s cultural role as care taker.” For this reason, Dr. Larin deliberately focused her priorities on family and work while becoming a volunteer for various dental associations once her children were in their teens and became more independent. DR. LARIN: “I SELECTED DENTISTRY AS A CAREER BASED ON THE JOY I FOUND IN BEING CREATIVE, WORKING WITH MY HANDS AND THE DESIRE TO PROVIDE FOR OTHERS. BY THE AGE OF 15 I WAS DESIGNING AND MAKING MY OWN CLOTHES, I ENJOYED COOKING AND PLAYING THE PIANO. I NOW KNOW THAT DENTISTRY WAS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE. MY LOVE FOR DENTISTRY HAS INSPIRED AND HELPED INFLUENCE MY TWO SONS TO FOLLOW ME INTO THE PROFESSION.”

While Dr. Morell sought to land in a health career, her goals were the driving force that guided her to the pursuit of dentistry. DR. MORELL: “WHEN I WAS DECIDING BETWEEN A CAREER IN DENTISTRY OR MEDICINE IN MY COLLEGE YEARS, I CHOSE DENTISTRY BECAUSE IT WOULD ALLOW ME TO BALANCE MY PERSONAL, FAMILY AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES TO MEET MY INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND DESIRES.”

Dr. Morell’s careful balance as a mother to young children, HDA President, practice owner and professor have afforded her unique and satisfying opportunities to include teaching pediatric dental residents at Boston Children’s Hospital, treating medically compromised patients at a Hospital setting, becoming a leader in organized dentistry with the HDA, conducting research, practice public health dentistry and even travel the world to work with international dental health organizations.

Prestige - Skilled and conscientious, dentists are respected in the community. Flexibility - You can be your own boss. Security - The average income of a dentist is in the highest 8% of U.S. family income and it is expected to grow with increasing demand. Personal Satisfaction - dentistry is not only fulfilling but challenging and exciting with the need to constantly learn and adopt cutting edge technology.

Women Lifting Women As many will attest, the balance of roles and responsibilities is not a lone accomplishment as it requires much support and encouragement as well as inspiration. “In my 20’s the most eminent challenge to finishing my career in pediatric dentistry was financial. Today, I can thank my fabulous mentors and counselors who guided me toward financial assistance and loans readily available from a variety of sources. I accessed numerous scholarships and student loans to complete my dental education as well as my Master’s in Public Health and I have come to conclude that though a dental education may be expensive, it is within the reach of people from all economic backgrounds,” said Dr. Morell. In Dr. Larin’s experience, women in the profession inspired her towards leadership: “Later in my career I had the opportunity to meet many inspirational women mentors and leaders led me to become the first Latina to take leadership roles in San Diego’s dental associations, including HDA.”

Women & Dentistry – A Great Match Dr. Larin considers herself fortunate and uniquely suited for dentistry as it has everything to do with her identity as a Hispanic woman. She states that “women share unique roles and especially as caregivers, breastfeeding and childrearing, while being able to wear high heels and get manicures- the sum of all these make women a unique individual with certain sensitivities. I am convinced that women in dentistry make our communities better and offer everyone more choices, guidance and support for others.”

Dr. Larin and her family during a fun 25th Anniversary photo.

Creativity - Because dentists are both artists and scientists.

For Dr. Morell, dentistry offers women five valuable components that meet the challenge women seek and the rewards that come with hard work:

HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

Dr. Morell

Breaking Barriers As with other fields, women continue to break barriers in dentistry. According to Dr. Larin, Women have more opportunities now with almost 40% more women in dental school compared to 15 % 20 years ago, a paradigm shift has taken place that is influencing many aspects of dentistry from education to product development and sales. Women have taken on a much stronger role in the profession and gained more respect throughout the industry. But there are more barriers to break still. Women in dentistry have encountered sexist attitudes along the way and one of the ways to overturn these is to educate those around us that such attitudes are impermissible. Dr. Larin says that occasionally she gets the question: Which dentist do you work for? Also, during a recent dental convention, when Dr. Larin picked up a clinical journal at a booth, the man behind the booth, as she recounts, “tried to steer me away from the journals saying I probably wouldn’t be interested in that particular journal because of its clinical aspect and instead he directed me towards a dental news article. When I told him I was a dentist and preferred the clinical journal, he acted confused, surprised and apologized and handed me the journal.” For Dr. Morell, these barriers will be broken as more women enter faculty positions, because “they can not only make contributions to teaching and research, but they can also serve as mentors and role models for the next generation of dentists.”

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News & Reports

Greater San Antonio HDA Chapter Celebrates Successful 2013 Gala Awards Ceremony Keynoted by Honorable Charles Gonzalez

On Friday May 3, the Greater San Antonio Hispanic Dental Association celebrated its annual gala and scholarship awards banquet with 200 guests gathered at the Pearl Stables Auditorium in the Pearl Brewery complex. The stellar event celebrated the year with deserving high school and college pre dental, dental hygiene and dental student scholarship recipients. Service, Education, Advocacy and Leadership highlights were central themes of the gala as slideshows of the year’s events accenting the mission of the association ran in the background to remind us what bring us together and makes us stronger for our community.

Here are the event’s highlights: • Keynote address by Honorable Charles Gonzalez, former US congressman and representative of the San Antonio TX area. • Honored guests included the Honorable Francisco Canseco, former congressman, Dr. William Dodge, Dean of the UT Health Science Center Dental School, Dr. Kenneth Kalkwarf, President of the UT Health Science Center, Richard Ramos of Green Energy San Antonio, city councilman Diego Bernal, and city council candidate Gabe Velasquez. • The Most Outstanding GSAHDA member award went to outgoing president Dr. Norma Reyes while, Mr. Eduardo Vela honored Dr. Vidal Balderas by commemoratively naming GSAHDA’s college level pre dental scholarships after him. • Dr. Adriana Segura was awarded the Presidential Community Service award for her efforts to increase diversity and improve oral health in the Hispanic community. • Dr. Kenneth Kalkwarf was honored for his community efforts in San Antonio. • Scholarship donations by the community reached the $40,000 mark as 10 scholarship recipients were spotlighted by the chapter. • Dr. Christina Meiners succeeded Dr. Norma Reyes as incoming president. • Northwestern Mutual, as title sponsor, closed with thoughts on the future work to be accomplished by this partnership. The chapter is very grateful for the support of Benco, Henry Schein, Proctor & Gamble, Alonso labs, Mascola labs and H & M General Contractors. To view the gallery of photos, visit our Facebook page www.facebook.com/HDAssoc.

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HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

News & Reports

Women in Focus Aidee Nieto-Herman, DMD

Martha X. Baez BS, RDH, MPH

Pilar Valderrama, DDS, MS

Boston, MA HDA Member since 1991

San Antonio, TX HDA Member since 1996

Dallas, TX HDA Member since 2012

“

Keep looking at the future with a positive attitude but fighting for the deserved equality among the professional community.

“

As a young girl, I wanted to be… an elementary school teacher. The people who had the biggest impact on my life as a leader over the years are… my parents. They were my biggest role models as leaders and mentors of eight children, they focused us heavily on education and becoming professionals. I chose dentistry because… my oldest brother was a successful dentist, and my father told me to follow his footsteps. So I started shadowing at his dental practice when I was in high school. The most difficult decision I’ve had to make… To leave my home country Venezuela, my culture and my family, to pursue the American dream. The greatest barrier to female leadership is… For many years women were considered minorities in U.S. they have been fighting many barriers to pursue higher education, we are still underpaid and we need more women in leadership positions to change that. To the women who want to “have it all”… Get an education first and find support from your family and friends. Seek for a good role model and mentor, in life. Everything is a sacrifice and in order to be successful you have to pay a price, and you have to balance your life, and find out what is priority. My proudest “HDA” moments revolve… around so many blessings! God gave me the good fortune to be involved since 1993 as a member and board trustee, and then as the first President of the Massachusetts HDA chapter. In 1996 I was elected National President of HDA, which was a great honor to represent my profession as a leader in America. Dr. Aidee Nieto-Herman is Past President of HDA and the Massachusetts HDA. She created MDHA’s “Promoting Dentistry as a Career for Minorities” Program with Boston Public Schools. As faculty advisor to the Tufts Hispanic Student Dental Association chapter for 25 years, she has been recognized at the state and city-level for her volunteerism, leadership, educational focus, mentorship, research, treatment and advocacy. As founder of the Hispanic International Mission, she has completed 12 mission trips to Central America and the Caribbean. Named in the top 100 Most Influential people in the Latino community by “El Planeta” Newspaper, Dr. Nieto has stood out as an embodiment of HDA’s mission, taking the lead to improve the oral health of Latino children in America and around the world.

“

Dr. Herman on a dental mission to Haiti.

Martha Baez (right) with Christina Meiners, DDS, the newly elected President of the Greater San Antonio HDA Chapter.

As a young girl, I wanted to be… a health professional to help people. Growing up seeing my father as a physician and taking care of patients was very influential. The people who had the biggest impact on my life as a leader over the years are… my parents always emphasized the importance of education as core of our individual development and a strong element for leadership. Their reflections and advice have made a very positive impact on my life and have helped me through the years. Another individual that has made impact on my professional development has been my husband, who was a professor of dentistry while I attended dental school. He has always been supportive and has mentored me throughout my professional career. I chose dental hygiene because… it incorporates aspects of health promotion and disease prevention. My first intention was to become a dentist and attended three years of dental school. Then I married and we immigrated to the US where my husband would be working. I had my first child and eventually decided to return to school and pursue dental hygiene studies, which I envisioned would fulfill my personal satisfaction and my aspirations of helping society. The most difficult decision I’ve had to make… Was leaving my family when we immigrated to the US because I was very young and attached to my relatives. Another difficult decision was to pursue my Master’s degree in Public Health at a time in my life when I was raising four children, working full time and had been out of school for several years. The greatest barrier to female leadership is… Being identified as a minority especially at times when diversity was certainly not a priority in this country. To the women who want to “have it all”… Learn to balance the different activities in your life and learn from experiences and even mistakes which inevitably occur. Keep looking at the future with a positive attitude but fighting for the deserved equality among the professional community. My proudest “HDA” moment was… in 2003 when I became President of the HDA. Martha Baez is the School Based Prevention Program Director at the University of Texas Health Science Center Department of Comprehensive Dentistry and former HDA President as well as active Greater San Antonio HDA Chapter member.

HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

Use the gifts we have because we are women: be compassionate and care about others like you would do with your own family. Help others grow and educate those around you to be like you. Serve your profession and your community.

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The most difficult decision I’ve had to make… To leave my home country Venezuela, my culture and my family, to pursue the American dream.

As a young girl, I wanted to be… a missionary. I was educated in a catholic school and was surrounded by missionaries that poured their lives into helping others. I wanted to go to Africa and help people there. I was advised by one of my teachers to finish my studies first and to choose a profession that will help me to help others. I then decided to become a dentist. The people who had the biggest impact on my life as a leader over the years are… my parents. My father who died of ALS in 2006, was a compassionate lawyer who was always helping others. He was a very positive, loving person who inspired not just me but many others. He was a impassioned educator in his field. My mother worked for the government in Colombia and I learned from her to persevere in life and to take my heart where ever I go. I chose dentistry because… it was a perfect fit with my desire to help others. During my early years practicing dentistry, after my graduation in Colombia from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, I worked with deprived communities for three years. I fell in love with periodontics after taking an advanced course in periodontics in the city of Cali and decided to become a periodontist. The most difficult decision I’ve had to make… In 2003 I was living in the San Antonio, Texas where I had moved to do a fellowship in Implant Dentistry under the mentorship of Dr. David Cochran at UTHSCSA. During that time I met Javier La Fontaine (now my husband) and fell in love with him. We decided to get married. When my father was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) in 2005 I wanted to go back to Colombia and take care of him and help my mother but my father and my mother insisted that I should stay here and marry Javier and start my own family. After too much struggle I decided to stay. The greatest barrier to female leadership is… the misconception that women cannot have a family and a career at the same time. To the women who want to “have it all”… Follow your dreams, be positive, surround yourself by positive thinkers and empower those around you. Use the gifts we have because we are women: be compassionate and care about others like you would do with your own family. Help others grow and educate those around you to be like you. Serve your profession and your community. My proudest “HDA” moment was… sharing with the student members of HDA. They always show so much passion about dentistry and about helping others. Their young spirits and minds are filled with hope and dreams. They are looking at us for leadership and cultural identity. They are the future of our association and of our profession. Pilar Valderrama is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology Practice Limited to Periodontics and Implants. She has received numerous scientific awards including the International Team for Implantology Foundation Scholarship in 2003 and 2004, the Fellowship Award from the International Congress of Dental Implantologists in 2004, the 2007 ITI world symposium research competition prize recipient, and the 2007 AADR William B. Clark Fellowship. Along with her husband, she enjoys golfing, running and traveling.

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News & Reports

Susan Lopez, RDH

Kathy Alvarez AA, BS

Mountain View, CA HDA Member since 2010

San Pedro, CA HDA Member since 1991

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The greatest barrier to female leadership is… The unwarranted doubts in ourselves and our doubts in other female leaders.

Turn the page to see the answer.

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Mujeres de HDA

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• My daughter is a dental hygienist.

Can you guess • I have two children, four grandchildren, two great grandchildren and another one on the way who would claim to these personal • My favorite hobby is scrapbooking--lots of memories • I am still active in the HDA Foundation as Scholarship tid bits? Committee Chair

I wanted to become a dental hygienist more than anything.

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As a young girl my view on the possibilities and responsibilities of our lives was shaped by John and Bobby Kennedy, JFK’s inaugural speech asking not what our country could do for you but what you could do for your country and the work of the Peace Corps. I was going to “save the world through agriculture”. As a freshman, I enrolled in the International Agricultural Development major at UC Davis in 1967. The people who had the biggest impact on my life as a leader over the years are… My husband, Michael Lopez DDS a trustee for HDA. We have a shared philosophical view on life, access to care and leadership. His view is not that any student is “underprivileged”; it is that they have a wealth of cultural knowledge that puts them ahead. His view is that positive presentation and attitude are everything. I carry that with me in what I do. I didn’t chose dentistry. It chose me. I reluctantly admit that I was directed by the 1950’s female vision that I grew up with in the fifties and sixties. Finishing my junior year as a bio-chemistry major (having realized that I was not going to save the world through agriculture), I thought that unless I wanted to wash test tubes the rest of my life – I would need a Doctorate. That did not appeal to me at the time. In today’s world, I would have reviewed a broader range of options. In 1969, it was just my mother and me – I applied to the UCSF Dental Hygiene program. Today, looking forward to the expanding future of dental health care, it was the right choice. The most difficult decision I’ve had to make… The most difficult decision was to step forward into leadership. I had no ambition or desire to lead my professional organization. When asked, my answer was always a firm No. But then it happens – it always happens. A switch occurs in your heart and more importantly your head says “I must do this – I need to be part of this movement. I cannot pass up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape the future”. That is the unique opportunity that a leader has. The greatest barrier to female leadership is… The unwarranted doubts in ourselves and our doubts in other female leaders. Too often we view female leadership through a female lens instead of through an unbiased leadership lens. When dealing with colleagues, I regularly have to ask myself - would I question/ doubt/ confront this person the same way if she were a male. I need to ask this question more often of my own leadership decisions. To the women who want to “have it all”… The idealistic young women in college from the 60’s thought they could do it all. Back then, we questioned those of us that took what some of us viewed as a less forward path and we often ignored any cautionary advice. The Superwoman path was not sustainable for many. The coming generations of men and women health care providers will be better able to incorporate the many facets of their lives into a sustainable positive lifestyle due to their understanding of technologies and the quickly advancing use of tele-health models of care. With “store and forward” cloud capabilities, providers need not always be onsite, but can plan treatment and direct care from home or anywhere.

Kathy Alvarez pictured with her daughter (right).

As a young girl, I wanted to be… an artist or designer while my parents wanted me to be an accountant. Ironically, I married an artist and my oldest grandson is an accountant for the city of Arroyo Grande (California) and the next oldest grandson is the head designer for the Articles of Society clothing line. The people who had the biggest impact on my life as a leader over the years are… women mentors. I have been blessed with many leadership role models through the years and I come from a family of strong women. My grandmother immigrated from Finland at the age of 18, with no English skills. My mother was handicapped from birth. Both overcame their disadvantages to live happy full productive lives. On the professional level, Joann Guerenlian is the epitome of a professional to me. Intelligent, supportive, caring, goal oriented and approachable. All these individuals and many more influenced me to grow and strive in my profession. How I chose dental hygiene… It was serendipity that I chose this career. After my first marriage ended I found a job as a dental assistant. The more I worked the more I realized that dentistry was for me. I wanted to be able to do much more for the patients and really have an impact on their oral health. I worked forty hours a week and took classes at night at the local community college to obtain my prerequisites to apply to a dental hygiene program. I wanted to become a dental hygienist more than anything. The best decisions I’ve had to make… were to become a dental hygienist, to marry my present husband (39 years), and to become a teacher. Becoming a dental hygienist would mean I would have to stop working --no income and two children to support. Marrying my husband would make me financially dependent on another man again. So our deal becamehe would put me through dental hygiene school and when I became licensed and working, he would quit work and I would put him through college. We did it and he became a high school art and photography teacher. At one point he was in college, our two children were too and I went back to earn my BS as well. Finally, becoming a teacher was fulfilling as it gave me a way to give back all that I have been given throughout my professional life. The greatest barrier to female leadership is… women’s lack of confidence they can succeed and also that the role of women as strong leaders is still unrecognized or appreciated by the male dominated society. We need to encourage, mentor and support our female counterparts. To the women who want to “have it all”… I think all women can have it all. The key is to keep priorities in balance. You need to take a long look at what you want and know what is most important to you and have patience. It’s tricky trying to balance it all and sometimes you have to dedicate more time and effort on one than the other--getting off balance but it will eventually even out. I have known too many women who have pursued one area of their life to the detriment of other important aspects. Their dedication is admirable but they have no other qualities that give one an interesting fulfilling life. My proudest “HDA” moment was… I have many “best” memories of being part of HDA. After I completed my presidency of ADHA, Josephine Rosa (a past president of HDA) encouraged me to become more involved in the HDA and I became a Trustee--the rest is history.

My proudest “HDA” moments revolve… The first annual meeting that I attended. The positive attitudes, the incredible energy and the “warrior” spirit to addressing access to care were truly inspiring.

Of course becoming HDA president stands out as well as receiving the HDA’s Presidents Award in 2011 from Margo Melchor. But the best memories are of working with all the wonderful members of HDA, seeing the strides we have made for Hispanic oral health and being a part of such a wonderful professional organization of caring and giving individuals giving back to the community.

Susan Lopez, President of the California Dental Hygienists’ Association (CDHA) is a proud member of the Hispanic Dental Association. Along with her husband, she is a member of the UCSF Dean’s Advisory Board. Susan is the proud grandmother to Michael James Lopez III and Mateo Jonathan Lopez.

Kathy Alvarez is a retired professor in the Dental Hygiene Department of Cypress College. She was a full time clinician for 25 years. She is still active with HDAF and has held leadership roles with the California State University Dominguez Hills Alumni Council, California Dental Hygienist’s Association Council on Administration, and the Lambda Kappa Mu Soroity, Inc.

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HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

Out & About

HDA Spring Camaraderie

HOUSTON HDA

April Social

April Social, Houston HDA Chapter. From left to right, Dr. Joe Bisquerra, HHDA President, Dr. Liliana Janer, Dr. Roberto White, First HSDA faculty advisor at UTSD in 1994, Javier Janer, Dr. Lilian Lyons, and Dr. Victor Rodriguez.

Service In Action

News & Reports

UCSF HSDA

UCSF students Omid Fallah and Jordan Equis

Left to right, Luis Guitierrez (D4), Vanessa Antonilez (D2), Jessica Sanchez (D2) and Ruben Espinoza (D3) Houston HDA Mujeres at the April Social: Dr. Anna Munne, Dr. Lilian Lyons, and Duelda Fiore.

Jessica Sanchez (D2) and child after a successful fluoride varnish application

Welcome New Professional Members!

Question on previous page!

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Answer: Kathy Alvarez, AA, BS

“ 10

Dr. Victor Rodriguez, Past HDA President, gets ready to open the exhibit hall for the Texas Meeting in San Antonio, TX May 2, 2013. Dr. Rodriguez welcomed over 12,000 dental professionals as 2013 Chairman of the Texas Meeting, annual meeting for the Texas Dental Association. • Brke Soffe of South Jordan, UT • Leticia Turullols of Houston, TX • Udi Yohanan of New York, NY • Virgilio Mongalo of Palmetto Bay, FL • Ana Tereza Tonet of Melrose, MA • Martin Fitz of Dayton, OH • Yolanda Franzen of Houston, TX • Luis Delima Jr of Minneapolis, MN • Lina Vega of Houston, TX

Zarah Ahmed (D2) face painting a child

HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

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News & Reports

Service In Action

University of Pittsburgh HSDA

While most students would not think twice about taking a much needed R&R between spring semester and summer classes, members of the Pittsburgh Hispanic Student Dental Association chapter barely stopped to breath after exams and participated in their annual trip to Honduras. The trip took place from April 27 – May 5, 2013, which was the only week students had off school before starting summer classes. Ten dental students from our chapter and two dentists, Dr. Annette Merlino (local dentist) and Dr. David Veronesi (Faculty), agreed to volunteer their time to show their contributions towards community dentistry. Their service locations included Gracias and Limpira located near the Mayan Copan ruins. Known as one of the poorest regions of the country with dire need of dental care, the students provided free care to the residents of this region who have no other resource of dentistry. For many it was the first time they received any type of dental work. Some of the services provided were amalgam/composite restorations, extractions, fluoride treatment, and sealants. Following the procedures, oral hygiene instructions were provided with demonstrations and a goodie bag with a toothbrush and toothpaste for each patient.

Top, left to right: Richard Vargo, Megan Jane Eyre, Gregory Sencak, Kyle Dumpert, and Gabriel Mancuso Bottom: Richard Craven, Kaitlyn Burgess, Alys Murdoch, Andrea Burns, and Alison Talarico King

New York University College of Dentistry HSDA

E-Board members during one of their Bake-sale fund-raisers.

Members after the first general meeting of the year

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Ohio State HSDA

The first Tuesday of every month, Clinica Latina gives free dentistry to the Hispanic Community. D1 and D2s can assist, while D3 and D4s provide dental treatment. Amanda Severn, pictured here, gave Oral Hygiene Instructions to children while their parents were being treated in Clinica Latina.

Ohio State HSDA students collaborate with the Hispanic Coalition in their after school program conducting Oral Hygiene instructions and provide fluoride varnish treatment. Pictured here is Nick Russell providing Oral Hygiene Instructions.

HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

News & Reports

Federal Update The healthcare decisions we make for ourselves and our families have been altered by systemic changes and regulation policies that will take full effect in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act. By then, federal subsidies to purchase insurance will kick in, as well as penalties for not buying coverage. As changes are taking place, HDA members bear the responsibility to educate patients and members of our community, not only about their oral health but also about the basics of the law and its impact on our families. Dental professionals ought to know that through new insurance exchanges made possible after the market opens up, insurers must offer pediatric dental coverage but consumers will not be required to buy it. Given the alarming rates at which tooth decay affect children, especially Latino children, the onus is on us to educate our community about the necessity of preventive care through pediatric dental coverage.

The Affordable Care Act Addressing the unique health needs of women

More than 6 in 10 women ages 40 and older had a mammogram within the past two years.1 The law requires coverage of many preventive services for women, including mammograms, at no cost to women.

77%

The health care law makes it easier for women to access and pay for health care, helping them and their families stay healthy.

Nearly 77 percent of women start breastfeeding after giving birth.2

More than 4 in 10 women ages 15-44 use some form of contraception.4 The law requires full coverage of FDA-approved birth control at no cost to women.

16% Only 16 percent still exclusively breastfeed at 6 months.2 The law requires coverage of breastfeeding support and equipment to make going back to work easier for breastfeeding moms.

Nearly 135 million women have received a routine exam in the past two years,5 many having to pay out-of-pocket. The law requires coverage of well-woman visits at no cost to women.

An estimated 19.7 million women are smokers,3 which puts them at risk for several types of cancer and heart disease. The law requires coverage, at no cost, for services to help women quit smoking.

Recommended links: The Health Care Law Protects Women We recommend the following website for more information: www.HealthCare.Gov and www.CuidadodeSalud.Gov Search for or click on these live links for consumer-focused pages Healthcare.gov: find insurance Women cannothealth be deniedcare coverage due tounder a pre-existing condition. options, learn about prevention, compare care quality, and learn about the law. Women can choose any primary care provider or OB-GYN in their health plan’s network. Infographic Source: http://womenshealth.gov/NWHW/activity-planning/NWHW-Infographic-508.pdf Women cannot be charged more than men for the same health coverage. Women’s health coverage must include pregnancy and newborn care. Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.

More control. Better info@hdassoc.org health. HDA News & Reports • Issue No.More 172 choices. • Spring 2013

News & Reports

Education

HSDA Chapter @ University of California, San Francisco Dental students from the UCSF chapter have made community outreach a priority. On May 4th, members participated in the 6th Annual Impressions Undergraduate Dental Outreach Conference at UCSF which was jointly hosted by SNDA, ADEA and HSDA. The purpose of the conference is to expose and excite undergraduate/pre-dental students from diverse, underrepresented and underserved communities in the San Francisco Bay Area about the dental profession. That same day, another group of UCSF HSDA members volunteered at the San Francisco’s Cinco de Mayo Festival where they provided dental screenings, fluoride varnish applications, and oral hygiene kits to more than 150 children.

Welcome

New HSDA members! Britta Martinez of Chandler, AZ Maricela Salcedo-Prado of San Francisco, CA Farzad Moghaddam of Los Angeles, CA Kyle Shiffler of Playa Del Rey, CA Norman Chen of Los Angeles, CA Nathan Beck of Los Angeles, CA Jennifer Pierce of Los Angeles, CA

Left to right, Yamrot Alemu (D1), Eric Brown (D1), Andrea Ustarez (D1), and Mia Arreola (D1)

Janelle Gunther of Los Angeles, CA Grant Burgdorf of Los Angeles, CA Eugenio Aquino of Los Angeles, CA Eric Mejia of Pasadena, CA Fowran Cheong of Los Angeles, CA Denise Robles of North Hollywood, CA Anthony Fioretti of Los Angeles, CA Priscilla Elizondo of Los Angeles, CA Kevin Quan of Los Angeles, CA

Follow their news and activity on Facebook at:

John Pierce of Los Angeles, CA Diana Lopez of Greenwood Village, CO Avanthi Kopuri of Aurora, CO

https://www.facebook.com/HispanicStudentDentalAssociationhsdaChapterAtUcsf

Besi Tong of Denver, CO

Thomas Nguyen (D2) allowing a pre-dental student to use his handpiece.

Samer Hejlawy of Aurora, CO Andok Barsechayan of Aurora, CO Ameeta Sachdev of Denver, CO Savannah Mortensen of Aurora, CO Ashley McCoy of Aurora, CO Caitlin White of Aurora, CO Anuja Patel of Aurora, CO Marisol King of Aurora, CO Jonathan Casiano of Lakeland, FL Jorge del Valle of Gainesville, FL Nelcy Sanchez of Weston, FL Raquel Blanco of Gainesville, FL Rajiv Kalra of Gainesville, FL

Impressions Conference participants and volunteers.

Kira Santos of Gainesville, FL John Farah of Gainesville, FL Frank Berdos of Gainesville, FL

HSDA Chapter @ University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston In April, fifty members of the chapter were invited to attend an educational dinner sponsored by Mass Mutual Greater Houston and the Houston Hispanic Dental Association. The topics incorporated information on “Tax Strategies and Financial Planning Basics” by Ms. Mariana Ruiz Posada. Currently, as director of Multicultural Marketing for Mass Mutual Greater Houston and having been in the dental field for 10 years (initially as a dental assistant and later as a dental office manager) she knew exactly how to target our audience! During the dinner Ms. Posada educated us on a very important area that most dental schools do not offer; topics like the importance of disability and life insurances, different retirement accounts, tax rates based on income, and different investment opportunities. Our attendees greatly benefited from this discussion, and most importantly, it got us thinking outside our “dental school bubble”. –By Martha Orozco, HDA Student Trustee

Violeta Trenkova of Gainesville, FL Laura Cabrera of Gainesville, FL Clara Vu of Gainesville, FL Ali Yazback of Gainesville, FL Selycette del Carmen Hamner of Gainesville, FL Alicia Milllan-Morales of Seminole, FL Tony Nader of Gainesville, FL Sergio Jacas of Gainesville, FL An Nguyen of Gainesville, FL Chelsea Brinkman of Gainesville, FL Yesha Patel of Gainesville, FL Alicia Castellano of Gaineville, FL Govinda Allin of Gainesville, FL Mariana Al Nasser of Gainesville, FL Patricia Prieto of Gainesville, FL Linda Yang of Gainesville, FL Marcela Solarte of Gaineville, FL Mitch Zientz of Gainesville, FL Kelsey Fleener of Lexington, KY Ashley Merritt of Lexington, KY Christina Giles of Lexington, KY James Simpson of Lexington, KY

Pictured are our graduating Dental Hygiene and Dental Students, Back row: Mr. Rafael Carballo (Mass Mutual agent), Nadia Garza, Brittany Swearengin, Katelyn Oakley, Bichvan Nguyen, Cynthia Corral, Liann Marruffo, Kallina Mikulencak, Alexandra Aponte, Melissa Uriegas, Fouzia Mohammad, Martha Orozco, Mariana Ruiz Posada, Claudia Parra (Houston-HDA Administrative Assistant).

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Charlie Poblenz of Lexington, KY Eric Shrestha of Lexington, KY Laura Sutherland of Lexington, KY Jacqueline Massauda of Lexington, KY Roth Rube Lewis of Louisville, KY

HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

News & Reports HSDA Chapter @ Harvard Dental School Harvard School of Dental Medicine is happy to announce the re-establishment of HSDA presence on campus. With the help and guidance of Boston’s mentors and local chapters, we have successfully ran events ranging from Spanish Dental Language sessions for fellow students to classroom lessons on oral health in nearby elementary schools. HSDA at Harvard is currently working very closely with the Massachusetts General Hospital-Chelsea HealthCare Center, where a large percentage of the patient population is Spanish-speaking. With the hopes of creating a more permanent student-based dental practice on site in the future, the group has taken the first step of conducting a free oral health screening day for the community. HSDA at HSDM would like to thank all of the support it has received in this year of building.

Welcome

New HSDA members! Marilyn Henry of Lexington, KY Alexander Silvia of Lexington, KY Melisa Gilbey of Lexington, KY Ashley Betz of Lexington, KY Mary Wiechart of Lexington, KY Isaac Henkle of Lexington, KY Kelsey Freener of Lexington, KY Emilio Hernandez of Lexington, KY Natalie Nelsen of Lexington, KY Priscilla Uba-Oyibo of Lexington, KY Chris Atchison of Cambridge, MA Mishelle Gonzalez Espinosa of Newton, MA Carolina Rodriguez-Figueroa, Shoreview, MN Seth Huiras of Minneapolis, MN Vanessa White of Apex, NC Eric Saiz of Las Vegas, NV Jennifer Garcia Avalo of Kew Gardens, NY Ingrid Murra of New York, NY Francis Lugo of New York, NY Marcela Cardona of New York, NY Leydi Barros of New York, NY Vanessa Lebron of New York, NY

Third year students Christina Bonebreak, Paiyal Popat, Kanika Sharma, Diane Lee, and copresidents Chiara Rivas-Morello (‘13) and Kristina Christoph (‘14) at MGH-Chelsea Oral Health Screening Day.

Sara Goldberg of Coram, NY Zachary Harrison of Philadelphia, PA Kelly Bird of Kingwood, TX Amber Lovatos of Houston, TX

DAVID MANTEL AT

Welcome New HSDA Chapters!

SARAH ORDONEZ AT

We congratulate the initiative of two students for their efforts to organize and establish hsda chapters on their campus:

My Team Loves A-dec Workflow can make all the difference to your team. Just ask Dr. Calderón. With integrated instruments, and proven equipment and dental furniture from A-dec — things run smoothly. Now her entire team enjoys a less stressful environment, more time for dentistry, and relaxed patients who actually look forward to coming back. And, with A-dec, you can enjoy the same success. To learn more about how you and your team can benefit from A-dec dental furniture and treatment room solutions, visit a-dec.com/DentistsChoose or call 1.800.547.1883.

Dr. Mónica Calderón Salmon Creek, Washington

HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

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News & Reports

HDA Foundation Scholarships

2013 Scholarship Candidates Sought For Four Educational Awards This year, the Hispanic Dental Association Foundation is seeking stellar students in for four scholarship categories:

Annual Meeting 2013 Sep 26-28 Boston, MA

1. Colgate-Palmolive For A Masters or Above in a Dentistry-Related Program 2. P&G Scholarship For Entry Level or First Year Dental Students and Dental Auxiliary Students by Procter & Gamble Professional Oral Health 3. Dr. Juan Villareal Scholarship For Undergraduate Dental and Dental Hygiene Students Enrolled in the State of Texas 4. HDAF Scholarship For Students in an Accredited Dental, Dental Hygiene, Dental Assisting or Dental Technician Program All applications must be postmarked no later than July 1, 2013 and sent to: Hispanic Dental Association Foundation, 1111 14th Street Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20005

For further information, call 202-629-3628 or Email: scholarships@hdassoc.org

Where are they now? 2012 Scholarship Recipient

Marcus Moss received an HDAF Scholarship in 2012. He graduated from Oakwood University in 2008 and from University of Connecticut in 2012. He is currently in PGY1 Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and looks forward to graduation in June of 2014. In his free time, he seeks to improve primary oral education for minority populations and the underserved as well as increasing the number of dental providers focusing on underserved populations. Marcus enjoys playing basketball, reading, and traveling.

Top Three Tips to Increase Your Digital Footprint It is difficult to believe that only ten years ago many organizations and professionals didn’t have a single website and often struggled to create them. While some businesses still lack a website, we cannot ignore the environment we are in. Not only is it a standard but having a web presence is a true necessity in 2013. Having a digital presence is not an option and while the new standard is multiple websites: main site, microsites, social sites, etc., here are three of five tips to increase your digital footprint. To see the rest, visit www.hdassoc.org

1. BUILD A WEBSITE Having a professional website that has an attractive look and feel is vital, especially if your profession requires a positive first impression. Your website needs to have several elements: a local number or a toll-free number, and contact forms, and a combination of text, visuals and videos. Your site has to also offer easy navigation (user friendly) and it has to be also optimized for the search engines (SEO friendly). Also, if your practice is located in a city or metropolitan area with high concentration of Hispanics, it is ideal to have a bilingual site, as Hispanic Internet users

like to toggle between English and Spanish. A bilingual site increases your chances of being found by the entire spectrum of the Latino audience, regardless of the language preference. Hispanic Market Advisors can help with this website development or translation process http://hmas.in/web-for-dentists

Why is your main site so essential? • It is like your Home - You need to have one in order before inviting your Guests (clients). • It is your digital brochure - You can email pages, including before and after pictures, to potential clients for them to read more about your practice. • It works for you even while you sleep – Your site extends you and your team’s visibility and information beyond business hours.

2. TRACK YOUR IN-SITE STATISTICS Let’s say you now have a website. Do you know how many people are visiting you online? From where? Do they speak English or Spanish? All these questions can be tracked with the many tools available in the web analytics market. At Hispanic Market Advisors we recommend Google Analytics to track statistics because it’s free and it provides enough data to keep you busy. You can spend hours digging through the amount of data available but it is best to leave that to the marketing experts to help you with these website tracking efforts.

By Sebastian Aroca

3. SET UP LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORIES Did you know your local business information can be found in dozens of online business directories such as Yelp? You can improve your digital footprint by claiming the listings and making them appealing, professional and inviting to potential customers and prospects. Claim your business directories; it will help driving traffic to your main site as well. What did you think of these tips? Post a comment (good or bad) and if you liked it, please tweet or email about it, and feel free to propose a topic for future posts!

How to Increase your Digital Footprint? 1

BUILD A WEBSITE IF YOU DON’T HAVE ONE YET.

TRACK YOUR IN-SITE STATISTICS

SET UP LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORIES

BUILD A DIGITAL ECOSYSTEM

CREATE BUSINESS PROFILES AND BECOME A BLOG CONTRIBUTOR *For the full list of tips, go online! http://www.hdassoc.org/news-and-events/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sebastian Aroca is an entrepreneur and a customer centric Hispanic SEO/SEM professional. He co-founded Hispanic Market Advisors and has over 15 years of professional experience managing search marketing programs and client acquisition strategies geared towards connecting innovative brands and professionals with U.S. Hispanic and Latin American & Caribbean markets. Sebastian can be contacted at Sebastian@HispanicMarketAdvisors.com

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HDA News & Reports • Issue No. 172 • Spring 2013

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