WELCOME TO THE GDA
The Georgia Dental Association, founded in 1859, is the premier professional dental organization in the state dedicated to promoting and upholding the highest standards of dentistry and patient care for all Georgians through education, advocacy, and professionalism. The GDA is dedicated to advancing the profession of dentistry and improving the oral health of the public.
February is National Children's Dental Health Month! GDA dentists are reaching out to Georgia kids with oral health education activities, goody bags, office tours, and screenings. On Give Kids A Smile Day, dentists will reach out specifically to children in low-income families with donated care and messages of good oral health. For more on GDA Give Kids A Smile Day activities, please click this link. The American Dental Association has a great CDHM resource center for dentists to find print outs and planning guides.
GDA Student LAW Day a Success
The Georgia Health Sciences University dental student LAW Day this week was a great success! Students discussed HB 785 and SB 337 (dental autonomy bills) with state legislators then visited the GDA office in Atlanta with Dean Connie Drisko for lunch and to meet the GDA staff. Thanks to this awesome group for their hard work in supporting their (future) profession: Class of 2013 Wendy Cardenas, Jimmy Cassidy, Meagan Chaffins, Shiven Gandhi, Kaley Peek; Class of 2014 Kristen Bonkowski, Jovas Booker, Chris Clance, Heath Moody, Alex McTier, Orlando Lopez, Beau Upshaw, Blake Upshaw, Bob Wilson, Michael Winstead; Class of 2015 Bryan Benton, Jonathan Bookout, Brittany Burgess, Chris Haggard, Catharine Moss, David Haithcock, Dylan Hamilton, Lauren Hughes, Alena Reich, Alex Riccardi, Zoanna Scheinfeld, Arielle Scherz, Christina Skarpalezos, Ray Wallace, Josh White.
Read the ADA Memo on Groupon-Type Marketing
The December 2011 GDA Action ran a story about the potential pitfalls of dentists advertising via Groupon-style daily deal sites. To read the article, and access the American Dental Association memorandum "Legal Issues in Marketing a Dental Practice: Referral Gifts and Groupon Discounts," click this link. Member log in is required.
Access the 2011-12 GDA Directory Online
The 2011-12 GDA Directory and Sourcebook is now available! Click here to access the full directory, which contains GDA leadership and committee contact information, Georgia dental laws and rules, and full contact details for every GDA member as of December 1. You must log in as a member to access this document. If you have any questions about the directory, email hall@gadental.org.
Active, full dues paying member dentists may now pay 2012 ADA / GDA / District dues online with a Visa or MasterCard! Click here to access the secure payment form. Thank you for your renewal!
Dental faculty members at GHSU: The GDA has set up a special form for you that reflects your GDA and District dues discounts. Click here to access your secure online payment form. Thank you for your renewal as well.
When accessing either form, dentists will be prompted to log in with a user name and password. If you have any questions about the online payment process, please email hall@gadental.org.
The GDA's GMOM Video is Online!
Re-live the first successful Georgia Mission of Mercy by viewing the video that tells the touching story of how 2,179 indigent Georgians received free urgent dental care in August 2011. Click to here visit www.georgiamissionofmercy.org and start watching!
Cruise Canada and North America
on the 2012 GDA President's Trip
Join GDA President Dr. Mike and Debbie Vernon May 26-June 2, 2012, for a spectacular cruise on Holland America’s Maasdam! A 3-deck-high atrium is the centerpiece of the ship, which also features Las Vegas-style entertainment in the 2-deck Rembrandt Showroom. Your fantastic itinerary:
• Sat May 26: Montreal, Canada
• Sun May 27: Quebec City, Canada
• Mon May 28: St. Lawrence Seaway
• Tue May 29: Charlottetown, Canada
• Wed May 30: Sydney, Canada
• Thu May 31: Halifax, Canada
• Fri Jun 1: Bar Harbor, Maine
• Sat Jun 2: Boston, Massachusetts
Click this link for a special GDA web site created by Vacations to Go with pricing and cabin details. You can even book your cabin online! Questions? Contact Tyler Scott, Vacations To Go: tylers@vacationstogo.com or phone (800) 514-9986 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting(800) 514-9986end_of_the_skype_highlighting ext. 7462.
GMOM: Dentistry At Its Finest
It would be impossible for anyone in Georgia and perhaps the nation who watches any major television coverage not to be aware of the highly successful first GDA Mission of Mercy (GMOM) event on August 12 and 13. All dentists can be proud of this event! The clinic exceeded all expectations by providing free dental care to an unbelievable 2,179 Georgians suffering from oral disease and pain. Over 1500 volunteers, including 300 dentists, performed cleanings, fillings, extractions, limited root canal therapy, and lab procedures valued at $1.5 million dollars. All of those involved in the GMOM event clearly demonstrated their giving spirit and compassion and exemplify the best of what people can be. [Read more]
Need Form 3300 for School Dental Screenings?
Approximately 430 members of the GDA participate in the GDA School Entry Free Oral Evaluation program. This is a statewide service for students entering Georgia schools for the first time. The state requires such students to undergo basic ear, eye, and dental examinations regardless of the grade being entered. Dentists, are you participating in this program? Here is the link to the Form 3300 you need for your patients.
Insight Into Milled Bonded Pontics
GDA member dentist Dr. James Kennedy has penned a paper about a five-year clinical study that suggests acceptable clinical longevity of the computer designed and milled porcelain resin-bonded fixed partial denture using certain protocol. To read the paper, click here.
From the ADA: The House of Representatives passed legislation (S. 3987) on December 7, 2010, that exempts certain businesses, including dental practices, from the Federal Trade Commission's Red Flags Rule. Thanks to the thousands of ADA grassroots dentists who lobbied to get the Red Flags legislation through Congress. The ADA estimates the savings associated with this exemption to be $72 million for dental offices alone.
State Rescinds X-ray Licensure Fee Initiative
As soon as your Association learned of the exorbitant fee the Department of Community Health (DCH) was assessing against dentists and other providers to license x-ray equipment in late 2010, GDA leaders contacted Sen. Greg Goggans as well as Reps. Sharon Cooper and Penny Houston to inform them of GDA concerns. These friends of dentistry as well as the many phone calls legislators received from GDA dentists were instrumental in DCH’s agreement to rescind the Licensure Activity Fee.
