February 16, 2011

A Message from the President and the Executive Director

Change.

Change has become a word bestowed with such rhetoric and power that both sides of the political landscape in our country have begun to wield it as a weapon and a threat.  But change is more than just political rhetoric, and despite the colloquial and political weight it has been given it is important to remember that change is something that comes to us all in a variety of meaningful and positive ways.  The dental hygiene profession is no exception.

A quick look at ADHA’s Legislation Tracker shows that there are currently 91 bills pending related to the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene in 26 states; an extraordinary amount of potential change for anybody to keep track of.  While not all 91 pieces of pending legislation impact each of you personally, the truth is that the outcomes of each of these items will have an impact on the profession as a whole.  It will have an impact on the profession that each of us is a part of; on the profession that we love; on the profession we are so passionate about.

Change has come to nearly every aspect of our profession and it is how we choose to deal with these changes that will define who, and what we are as dental hygienists moving forward.  ADHA, as your professional organization, will always be here to act as a representative voice for you and to help in any way possible. ADHA will be there to help guide each of you through these periods of change, be they positive or negative.  But there is also an element of personal responsibility which must not be overlooked in helping you (and ADHA) to make the most of the opportunities as they are presented.

Here at ADHA we listen to all of the concerns of our members, and the dental hygiene community at large. We’re on the listservs, taking your phone calls, and answering your e-mails as we get the pulse of the issues which drive you.  We know about the job shortages, as they relate to the economy, and the proliferation of dental hygiene programs which continue to saturate the job market.  We’ve heard the concerns relating to alternative practice settings including collaborative practice.  We’ve listened as our fellow dental hygienists call for a national licensure; and we’re aware of the talk of the benefits and struggles associated with potential unionization. 

It’s with these many issues in mind that we’re writing to you today to assure you that we have heard your stories loud and clear, and are taking action on them.  As your professional organization it is important for us to remember to take the time to share with you the steps we’ve taken, and will be taking, in addressing the issues that affect each and every one of us in some particular way; and how your input helps to drive our efforts. 

In the coming months you will be seeing a greater variety of information coming from ADHA. This is our promise to you. From articles in Access magazine addressing the future of the dental hygiene workforce and the importance of change in the dental hygiene educational curriculum, to items in “ADHA Update” speaking on ADHA’s continued efforts with the Commission on Dental Accreditation regarding hygiene programs and the amazing opportunities in collaborative practice and alternative settings, you can expect to find how ADHA as a whole is impacting the profession.  Though the most important message you’ll read is about our relationship. It can be summed up in these two words:

Better Together.

These words should be a reminder that collectively we can accomplish far more than we ever could apart.  We all have an important role to play in shaping what the future of this profession holds for each of us—a future which is changing.  We have largely accomplished the first step by identifying areas of potential change, leaving us where the real work begins: defining what our changes may look like and mapping a road to get there.  So today we ask you to join us, to continue sharing your excellent feedback, and to engage with us in embracing the coming change.  

Remember, ADHA is all of us.

Caryn Solie, RDH
ADHA President

Ann Battrell, MSDH
ADHA Executive Director

ADHA Representative on CODA
The term of the current ADHA representative on the Commission on Dental Accreditation’s Appeal Board will end in October 2011.  ADHA needs to appoint a successor by June 2011 and is soliciting bio-data forms from interested parties by May 1, 2011.

Appeal Board hearings are scheduled at the request of administrators of programs being considered for denial or withdrawal of accreditation by the Commission.    Such hearings are conducted within 60 days of the January or July meetings of the Commission.  The ADHA representative will be called upon to serve in this capacity only if a request for a hearing with the Appeal  Board is received from an educational program.

The Commission’s policy, Selection Criteria for Appeal Board Members is as follows:

The Appeal Board Member shall not be:

1. A current member of a dental or allied dental faculty
2. An employee member of the governing board, owner, or shareholder of, or consultant to, a program that either is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation or has applied for initial accreditation and
3. Spouse, parent, child or sibling of an individual identified in items 1 and 2.

The appeal Board Member shall:

1. Be willing to participate as a member of the appellate body should it be convened;
2. Be willing to comply with all Commission policies and procedures (e.g. Agreement of Confidentiality; Conflict of Interest Policy; and Professional Conduct Policy and Prohibition Against Harassment)

REVIEW COMMITTEE AND
COMMISSION MEETING DATES

ADHA/Sigma Phi Alpha Journalism Awards
ADHA in conjunction with Sigma Phi Alpha is pleased to announce the 2011 Sigma Phi Alpha Journalism Award Competition. These awards recognize a outstanding manuscript submitted by a baccalaureate-, master- or doctoral-level degree completion candidate. This year, we will have a second award category. Sponsored by a grant from Johnson and Johnson Healthcare Products, we will present awards to the outstanding manuscript submitted by a baccalaureate or degree completion candidate and a second award at the master or doctoral level. This change will allow a more level playing field for bachelors and masters/doctoral authors. Both winning manuscripts will be published in the Journal of Dental Hygiene (JDH). Runner-up articles will have abstracts also published in JDH and Access. In addition, each of the primary authors of the winning manuscripts will receive a $1,000 award, along with a plaque recognizing their achievement.

To be Eligible, the author must:

• Be a baccalaureate, master or doctoral level degree completion candidate (within one year of graduation)
• A current active or student member of ADHA
• Follow the JDH author guidelines (winning manuscripts will also be subject to revisions, if necessary)

To obtain an application, visit ADHA’s Web site (www.adha.org) to download a copy or contact Jeff Mitchell, Director of Communications at jeffm@adha.netor 312/440-8923. Manuscripts must be submitted electronically by March 30, 2011 to be eligible for the competition. Please send completed manuscripts with the application cover sheet to Josh Snyder, JDH staff editor at joshs@adha.net.

You can learn more about the Sigma Phi Alpha Award at http://www.adha.org/awards/awards_criteria.htm#spa.

Upcoming NIOSH Health and Safety Practices Survey of Healthcare Workers
On January 31, 2011, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be launching the online Health and Safety Practices Survey of Healthcare Workers with the assistance of their contractor, Westat. A random sample of members of ADHA will be invited to participate in the survey. If you are selected, ADHA encourages you to participate in the survey as we are very interested in any data which can lead to your improved health and safety.

The survey, which is anonymous and voluntary, asks about health and safety practices and types of exposure controls used by healthcare workers who handle or come in contact with hazardous chemical agents. The chemical agents under study include aerosolized medications, antineoplastic agents, chemical sterilants, high level disinfectants, surgical smoke, and anesthetic gases. Information regarding other health and safety hazards is also being collected. The survey will take about 30 minutes to complete. Your participation is critical to the success of the survey.

NIOSH will prepare a report presenting aggregate data from all respondents from ADHA which will be made available to all of our members.

Should you have any questions about the survey, please contact either of the following NIOSH project staff: Jim Boiano (jboiano@cdc.gov;513-841-4246) or Andrea Steege (asteege@cdc.gov; 513-841-4538).

E-NEWSLETTER DISCLAIMER
To ensure you continue to receive our newsletter, please add broadcast@adha.net to your recipients list (not bulk or junk folders), and log in to your membership record at www.adha.org to update your contact information. The newsletter is sent to the email address on file. Do not reply to this email to update your email address.