CDDS meeting

September 8, 2011
at The Brickyard at Riverside
      -GDA officer visit



WORDS FROM THE PRESIDENT


It is with great humility that I accept the position of president of the Central District Dental Society.  This year appears to be both exciting and challenging, but with your help we can make it a very rewarding one for all. 

This year Dr. Michael Wright will be planning a special CE course and dynamic speakers for our regular CDDS meetings.  One of the most important meetings will be on Sept. 8th.  This is our annual officers’ visit.  Plans and issues of the GDA will be discussed by the president Dr. Mike Vernon and executive director Martha Phillips.  Please plan on attending this meeting. 

 At this time, I would like to thank all of you who have accepted committee appointments, members of the ADA and GDA delegations, and officers.  With your guidance, the CDDS will continue in the tradition of serving its’ members and the patients of the state of Georgia.

Last but not least, I would like to personally thank Dr. Kara Moore for her leadership as president of the CDDS this past year.  It was an honor and privilege for me to serve with her as president elect.  She will be a very hard act to follow.

If you have any suggestions, concerns, or would like to serve your district in any capacity, please do not hesitate to contact me.


Alfred B. Peters


ADA Delegate Notes

As usual, if you were looking for some ADA excitement, this summer’s delegation meeting did not disappoint. We were able to hear from not only the current ADA president elect, Bill Calnon, but also the two candidates vying for that position. Although the three of them do not always agree on issues, they all seem to concur that since the ADA has acquired new legal counsel there is much more harmony amongst the staff that lead this association. That is great news. The ADA wasted too much time and too much money trying to ensure that their leaders were “getting along” and that the discord that existed did not destroy us from within. Now, hopefully the conflict that existed in the executive office in Chicago has dissipated and hopefully they can now lead the ADA in a new more positive direction. That being said the ADA is still not free of its own problems. ADA membership (like GDA membership) is down. One of the reasons for that could definitely be the economy but another major factor could be due to members not seeing a return on their investment. The ADA has got to follow one of its own goals and get back to focusing on the member in membership.

Last year the ADA reaffirmed its commitment to the fact that the dentist is the only person that should be doing any type of irreversible procedures. However, now they must also focus on being the loudest voice in the room to echo that to our legislators, state boards, and other media outlets. The ADA lost focus for a long while. Hopefully they have heard the message from the loyal members and they are now heeding the directive to focus on the important issues and stop wasting money on everything else. Your ADA delegation will have a meeting in September and we should be getting more information on upcoming resolutions and issues very soon. If you have any questions or concerns about what the ADA is doing for you please ask me or any of your GDA officers! I am looking forward to another great year representing the BEST district in the State!!!!

-Kara Moore




MINUTES:

CDDS EC Meeting at the Office of Amber Lawson May 10,2011
Attending: Kara Moore,  Michael Wright,  Amy Lee,  Deena Holliman-Smith,  Shirley Fisher,  Paul Fraysure,  Lindsay Holliday,  Kendrick Mathews,  Alfred Peters,  Don Benton

Meeting Called to Order 7:05pm
Pres.Moore asked for approval of the minutes, motion made to accept,seconded and approved.
Treasury  Report: D.Benton reviewed status of the treasury as well as rising costs of meals at the venues we have used.He is reviewing the other Districts of the GDA to compare their dues structure and will report to the EC at the Sept. meeting.

Legislative report: The Fall reception is scheduled for Nov.29 at The Brickyard. Kara encouraged all to help finalize the contact list for the legislators in our District when Amber calls to ask for assistance.
Membership:Kara requested help in identifying recent graduates that will be locating in the area over the next several months and to make them feel welcome.

Hygiene Schools
Middle Ga Tech College: 100% pass rate on the NBDE for Hygiene Students. Also noted was the closing of the assisting program.
Central Ga Tech College No Report as their Advisory board meeting coincided with this meeting.
Emile Fisher Scholarship Report: No Report
BOT Report: See Alfred's Report.
ADA Delegation Report: See Kara's Report
New Business: Discussion of finding new person for the Public Relations Committee,Some names brought up and discussed to improve interest with new and younger members to foster involvement in the District. Megan Johnson will be approached for the position. 

Michael Wright brought up for discussion CE for staff and Members in October as this is a renewal year. Brasseler and Kerr have expressed interest in supporting a meeting of some type. He will investigate options and get a meeting on the calendar.
Lastly, Michael Wright has been in contact with the last treasurer of the Bibb County Dental Society noting a desire to add the treasury funds to the CDDS as the BCDS has been inactive for over Ten years and there has been no interest in reactivating the Society.. Michael asked for a motion to assume those funds for the use of the CDDS,motion was made,seconded and passed.

No other business, meeting adjourned at 8:50pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Donald B. Benton,Jr. 




Treasury Report: 

Balance brought forward                    13,611.43

Withdrawals
GDA conference call,Legislative Cmt       10.10
CDDS HOD Caucus Breakfast Jan.'11  334.95
Macon Letter Svc May Mailout                 585.75
Idle Hour CC Meeting/Meal for May       2088.33
Planning Session Meal,June                   124.86

Deposits
May Meeting Receipts                           1120.00

Balance Checking                                11587.44
                         
Money Market Acct                                 4830.79

Total Assets CDDS                              16,418.23

- Donald B. Benton,Jr. 



GADPAC News:

Shortly, you will be receiving your 2012 Membership Dues Statement.  As you are making out your check, please consider and include a contribution to GADPAC.  The GDA Political Action Committee is a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose funds are distributed to support the campaigns of state and national candidates friendly to dental and patient-related legislation.  GADPAC contributes funds to such candidates regardless of party affiliation.  The American Dental Association's ADPAC receives $49 of your GADPAC donation and uses those funds to support federal candidates and committees.  Contributions to ADPAC are voluntary and any member has the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal.  The contribution guidelines are merely suggestions and a member may contribute more, less, or not at all without concern of favor or disadvantage by the association.  Remember, your support of GADPAC insures that your voice is heard in Atlanta and Washington, DC.
 
Paul W. Fraysure, Jr.
GADPAC Chairman



Legislative News:

Mark your calendars!  The Central District Legislative Reception will be held Tuesday, November 29th at the Brickyard beginning at 7 pm.  It is important that all of you attend in order to meet and show support for our legislators.

Law Day 2012 for the Central District will be Wednesday, February 15th at our State Capitol.  I look forward to seeing you all there!

Amber Lawson <amberplawson@gmail.com>



CALENDAR


November 10, 2011 Location to be announced
      -Roy Russ PhD. Department of Pharmacology Mercer University School of Medicine
      - Common medications and their implications for the dental practice

November 29, 2011 at The Brickyard at Riverside
       -District Legislative Reception
February 15, 2012  Law Day
              
February 2012 Warner Robins Air Force Base Meeting
       -Time and location to be announced

May 10, 2012
     -Topic suggestions are being accepted.  Please e-mail to wrightmm@gmail.com
--



BOT MEETING 6/18/2011

Central District Members in attendance: Ty Ivey, Alfred Peters, Mike Loden, Michael Wright



Report of the President


Melana McClatchey review of antitrust in discussion of issues regarding relationships with the GHSU.


Warning about e-mail: do not include anything in an email to GDA that may have antitrust implications.  This could potentially cause the GDA a real problem with the FTC.


Discussions should center on safety and quality.



From the President Jay Harrington


Meeting with the president of the GHSU Dr. Ricardo Azziz: feels GHSU is about 20 years behind wants to bring it up to speed in about 7 years.  The school has a budget of 1.4 billion gets about 140 million from the state.  Wants to increase high end care.  Has 23 outreach centers and wants to increase that.  Will require up to 5 percent of enrollment at the dental school  from out of state students (this is going to happen).


Dr. Drisko Meeting:  maintenance funding for the budget was pulled this was a loss of 1.4 to 2 million dollars.  Dr. Drisko has to make up this funding.  Although foreign students may be added it should not add to the total number of students taken and would likely be a 2 year program.



BOT REPORT

Rules for public health Hygienist were discussed again this rule has not yet been posted.

Botox and Fillers-  there are two opinions from the attorney general that disagree with our proposed and accepted rule.  This Rule has not posted yet.


PEW'S 50 STATE DENTAL REPORT CALL- Georgia got a "C" on the first.  On the second report Ga. got a B. 


ADA budget does not currently have a dues increase but if the house of delegates adds spending (and it always does) one may be necessary.  There is an attempt to find programs that could undergo sunset.


MARTHA S. PHILLIPS executive director report- spoke on prompt pay and non-covered services.  Not all insurance companies are following the non-covered service law still.  Prompt pay applies to all insurance companies 15 days for all electronic claims 30 days for paper claims.


NELDA GREENE:  Oral Health Coalition and Georgians for a Healthy Future is on going we continue to monitor these committees.


Georgia Dental Insurance Services(GDIS)- Continues to be profitable.

PDRS BOARD recommended closing PDRS on August 31, 2011 due to industry changes.  This was brought to the Board of Trustees for a vote and passed unanimously.  Questions should be addressed to PDRS at this time.



Constitution and Bylaws Committee will update the bylaws with the new school name.


Georgia Mission of Mercy- volunteers are still needed, remember legislators and the governor will be there.


Quality Assurance Manual was accepted.  This covers general practice and all specialties .  Any member can request a copy of this from the GDA it is available in PDF.


Nominations for Awards deadline is October 1, 2011 for 2012 awards.


Districts have been asked to give a donation to the Alliance.  The Northern has given 2000.


Please forward volunteer dues items by August 31, 2011 to the finance committee.


Emile T. Fisher Foundation for Dental Education in Georgia board has had difficulty meeting quorum a discussion was undertaken to move members off the board who miss two of the three yearly meetings.


Motion was made to send money to the Missouri. dental association for 2000 dollars and passed.  This money was taken from the contingency fund.  30 dental offices were destroyed in the tornados.

--
Michael M. Wright

Is it OK to say so??

   
Since I started writing these opinion pieces for the local rag (AKA the CDDS Newsletter), I have tried to stay on purely dental topics that had some educational value relating to the American Dental Association and its associated parties (GDA and various related committees).  Today, I am going to offer an opinion on a topic that is somewhat political.  It is not R and D politics, and in fact, I am not sure how to label it at all.  First, I want to make it clear that even though I am from Macon, the home of John Birch, I am not now nor have I ever been, nor will I ever be a member of the John Birch Society.  If you are, fine with me, but my politics have been dentistry and it fell on both sides of the aisle. 

I attended the last Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting of the GDA in Atlanta.  (Any of you can do this as a member.)  I was there because a topic arose at the BOT’s meeting in April and the Board was led to believe that they should not discuss this topic because it might present some Anti-trust problems.  The BOT went silent and the business agenda went on.  It seemed to me that the BOT should have discussed this matter.  The presidents elect are there to learn about their association.  How can they learn if the topics are shrouded in the mystery of anti-trust violations?  While there are topics that cause concern for organizations such as the Georgia Dental Association, one would have to ask why is this?  An example of this on a personal level would be that if a labor union meets and goes to an employer and negotiates a contract for dental insurance which favors one dentist over another, this is acceptable behavior.  If a dentist goes to lunch with another dentist and they decide that $130 is a reasonable fee for a tooth extraction, they are guilty of price fixing.  Who says?    The Federal Trades Commission, they or it says!  Organizations can be held accountable for statements made by members construed as anti-trust violations. 
The establishment of what is and what isn't an anti-trust violation is variable at best in my opinion. 

To me this is a breach of the First Amendment Right of Free Speech.  Please remember that the First amendment rights to free speech are placed to
prevent government censorship. However, the intent of the First Amendment has been misconstrued and often organizations and the members ( personally ) do not understand what they can say or not say and so they say nothing.  While the GDA as an organization is not affected by the First Amendment, most people are fearful of the FTC  ( Remember the FTC is from the government and it is not here to help you. ) and it makes them clam up.  Censorship it seems to me can be both real and implied.  I don't necessarily care which way you apply the law.  Just apply it to both sides.  The reason that I went to the GDA BOT meeting was to urge the board members to learn how to discuss issues in a manner that would allow them to learn about the challenges facing dentistry today by talking about the issues.  The GDA agreed that they could revise and update the teaching of these important matters so our members of the board will know what is and what is not appropriate.  I hope the BOT members will find ways to discuss the business of the association.

Another legal roadblock that I have seen used in our national association to thwart the dissemination of information to the membership is the use of attorney client privilege.  No, perhaps I should say the misuse of attorney client privilege.  It came to the ADA from Chicago (211 E. Chicago Avenue to be exact - The ADA headquarters) and I do not know how it started.  It is intended to allow committees or groups to go into session and discuss matters that are sensitive and that might be used in the event of a law suit.  The group has its attorney present.  The group can then discuss “almost” anything that it wished as long as it does not break the “rules” of the Federal Trade Commission relating to whatever the FTC thinks is price fixing, restraint of trade, etc.  These conversations are private and defensible to the members as discussions with their attorney.  Here’s the catch.  No one in the group can discuss anything that was discussed in the attorney client session without losing the protection of the law regarding communications between an attorney and his/her client. (NB.  The attorney/client privilege protects a client’s communication with a lawyer made for the purpose of obtaining legal services; it does not apply just because the attorney is in the session. )

    So what is the problem with this?  Well, suppose an executive director (Martha Phillips has never done this!) wants to keep down a topic of discussion.  He/she convinces the President to call a meeting of "XYZ" committee.  The meeting is held on the telephone and the Association attorney is present.  The conference call is held under attorney client privilege.  No one can discuss what went on.  I have been on calls where there was nothing legal about the call at all.  The President of the ADA and the executive director just wanted to keep the membership from knowing what was going on in their association.  While I can argue that this happened often, I will recall one specific conference call where I called the attorney present after the call that I was on and asked why the call was privileged.  He admitted it was not privileged and not related to legal matters.  You have to ask the questions sometimes!  
So what is the point?  Our country was founded by some very smart people.  They would be rolling over in their graves if they were brought back to life today.  The First Amendment is the right to free speech among other things.  The attacks on the right of free speech did not begin until the 20th century.  Now “The Courts” have decided a multitude of speech items that are not “free.”  Shame on them!  When an organization like the GDA cannot conduct its business because of FTC regulations and attorney/client privilege, the foundation of the Constitution of the United States is damaged.  When you represent the members of this organization, you have the duty to be informed.  And in turn, you have the duty to inform them what you have learned while representing them. There are ways to discuss all things legally regardless of the rulings of the courts.  However, be mindful that many people and state organizations  (including some that are dental) have been taken to court for violations of Antitrust etc.  If they are going to make more rules, at least learn how to discuss the business of the association and learn how to inform your constituents.  It is a privilege to serve your association.  But don't short change the members by not discussing the matters of business that affect them.  First Amendment Rights are sacred.  Don't let Constitutional creep ( implied or otherwise)  take them away.  The above are examples of Constitutional creep, IN MY OPINION!!  If they stop you from talking in the GDA boardroom today, they will stop you from talking in your living room tomorrow.
Ty Ivey
   


CENTRAL DISTRICT




GDA Committee Appointments

    Awards--------------------------------------Deena Holliman Smith
    Constitution/Bylaws------------------------John Kuo
    Dental Education Foundation-----------Paul Fraysure
    Council on Dental Health-----------------Shirley Fisher
    Finance---------------------------------------Kendrick Mathews
    Forensics-------------------------------------Cameron Garvin
    Governmental Affairs---------------------Amber Lawson
    GADPAC-------------------------------------Paul Fraysure
    IT Committee--------------------------------Vin Bhasin
    Membership Services----------------------Jamie Mitchell
    Oral Health in Institutional Settings----Grier Godfrey
    Peer Review----------------------------------Greg Burns
    Public Relations-----------------------------Lindsay Holliday/Megan Johnson
    Recruitment and Retention---------------Katie Garvin
    Workforce------------------------------------Pinkney Gilchrist
 

GDA House of Delegates
    Delegates
        Jay Harrington (Chairman)
        Paul Fraysure
        Craig McCroba
        Shirley Fisher
        Deena Smith

    Alternate Delegates
        Mike Loden
        Lindsay Holliday
        Amy Loden
        Don Spillers
        Pinkney Gilchrist

District Officers
    President------------------------------Alfred Peters
    President Elect-----------------------Michael Wright
    Vice President------------------------Ched Smaha
    Secretary/Treasurer-----------------Don Benton
    Editor-----------------------------------Amy Lee
    Trustee GDA--------------------------Mike Loden
    Delegate to ADA----------------------Kara Moore

   

.......Jan, Please place an extra check off box for sending in money for the CE and a place to write in the attendees names.
 
Continuing Education Opportunity
8:30-12:30  Friday, October 21
At Central Georgia Tech
4 CE credits

Are potential HIPAA and HITECH Act violations occurring in your office or online without your knowledge.  This and other legal issues of intrest to dentist will be discussed by dental attorney Stuart J. Oberman. Other areas to be discussed will include the always popular prevention of malpractice suits.

Register today.
Dentist:$70
Staff: $45

Central District Presidential Report 
 

Governmental Affairs Committee
 

Board of Trustees report

CENTRAL DISTRICT OFFICERS

Attention Bylaws change to be voted on at May 13th meeting.

The new bylaws will read...

Annual Roll-up of Delegates:  Each member of the delegation, other than the chairman, moves up one slot annually so that one alternate delegat is added to the delegation each year.  Upon a delegate's or alternate delegate's annual re-election he or she shall roll up one place on the delegation for a maximum of (seven) NINE years.  Following a delegation roll up, and after serving the maximum number of terms as Chairman, a member must not serve as an alternate or a delegate for one year.

 

The delegation roll up will be as follows:

2010

Don Spillers

Amy Loden

Lindsay Holliday

Mike Loden

Deena Smith

 

Paul Fraysure  (rolls off Feb 2014)

Craig McCroba (rolls off Feb 2013)

Shirley Fisher  (rolls off Feb 2012)

Roy Lehrman (rolls off Feb 2011)

 

Chair  Kendrick Matthews  serving last term as chairman  will elect new chair Feb (2012??)

 
...