Please help us serve you and others better by completing our short customer satisfaction survey. Your feedback helps us in our commitment to continuous improvement and to better serve you in helping build your career and maximize your impact as a dental hygienist. The survey will be available through February 15, 2009.  Please let us know if you have any difficulties as your feedback is important to us.  Thank you for your participation.

WIN!!! A $500 Visa Check Card!!!!

ADHA would like to invite YOU to participate in the first ever You Tube CLL/AS Video Promotion Contest.  Express why you are excited and why your colleagues should attend the 2010 CLL at the 87^th Annual Session and be eligible to win…a Grand Prize of a $500 Visa Check Card!  Get creative and have FUN…video submissions due January 8, 2010! 

Visit the Annual Session website for contest details and rules!

 

On Saturday, November 7, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.   The landmark vote marks one step in the efforts of Congressional leaders and the Obama Administration to pass comprehensive health reform legislation. 

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is committed to keeping the dental hygiene community informed on health reform matters that impact the profession. ADHA respects that there are many opinions on health reform within the dental hygiene community. This update is not intended to sway recipients in one direction or the other on the issue, but is offered as a means to update dental hygiene professionals about the oral health provisions contained in H.R. 3962 and to offer an overview of ADHA’s engagement in the process thus far.

-          Pediatric Dental Benefit: The bill includes a requirement for all eligible children to have dental coverage (through 21 years of age). The bill does not require an adult dental, although it does include a provision to study the cost of offering an adult dental benefit.

-          Oral Health Workforce Provisions: The bill includes a section that would establish grant programs and allocate federal monies towards the development of oral health providers and education programs to bolster the oral health workforce. Dental hygiene is included in some of the workforce provisions, several of which are focused on encouraging careers in public health and/or pediatric dentistry.

-          Oral Health Expertise: The bill would convene a Health Benefits Advisory Committee, which would be comprised of “experts in oral health” in addition to experts in other heath care fields, to make recommendations about health benefits and plans offered through the legislation.

-          Contracting with Stand-alone Dental Plans: The bill would allow qualified (medical) benefit plans to subcontract with stand-alone dental plans to meet dental benefit requirements. This accommodates the way the current system is structured in that most medical plans do not include dental benefits and most dental insurance plans are offered separate from medical plans.

-          Medicaid Reimbursement/Eligibility Levels – The bill would increase Medicaid eligibility to 150% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure adequate payment levels under Medicaid.

-          Oral Health Programs in School-based Clinics: The bill establishes a grant program for school-based health clinics, including those that offer oral health services.

H.R. 3962 passed the House by a vote of 220-215. The debate and work on health reform is not over with the House vote. The Senate is currently in the process of reconciling the two health reform bills pending in that chamber – one drafted by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the other drafted by the Senate Finance Committee. The differences between the two bills must be negotiated before any legislation moves to the Senate floor for consideration. Senate leaders have indicated they would like to begin debate on health reform legislation on the Senate floor the week of November 16.

As this effort continues to unfold, it is important to keep in mind that health reform is much more than just one vote for or against health reform legislation.  Policymakers must weigh in and vote on various amendments and incarnations of health reform proposals as the legislation moves through the legislative process.

ADHA is recognized as a valued stakeholder in oral health and has been approached by policymakers and their staff for input on health reform.  Not being a part of the dialogue on health reform is simply not an option for any stakeholder, including ADHA.  As the national association that Empowers, Develops, and Supports dental hygiene professionals, ADHA has a responsibility to serve as the voice of the profession on policy matters. The association has not endorsed a specific health reform plan or legislative vehicle.  ADHA’s efforts relative to health reform are guided by the association’s Statement on Health Reform:http://www.adha.org/downloads/ADHA_Health_Reform_Statement.pdf.

The Statement highlights the importance of oral health as an integral component of total health.  As an oral health professional, you know that an individual cannot have a healthy body without a healthy mouth.  As such, ADHA asserts that if/when comprehensive health reform proposals are considered by Congress, oral health should be included.

Please know that ADHA staff is available to answer questions and offer additional information.  Contact us via e-mail by replying to this message or sending a separate message to gov.affairs@adha.net or calling ADHA’s Governmental Affairs Division at 312.440.8925. ADHA will continue to offer updates as efforts related to health reform continue. 

Sincerely,

Your ADHA Governmental Affairs Team:

Megan Fitzpatrick, Director        
Stacey Chappell, Manager          
Kathy Schroder, Manager            
Connie Johnson, Assistant

Maintain your connection to the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and the dental hygiene profession by transitioning your membership from student to active. If you transition your membership through December 31, 2009, you will be entered into a raffle for a custom pair of loupes – up to a $1,500 value!

The transition from student membership to active is simple and free - all we need is your license number. Just follow these easy steps. You can login online to your ADHA account and click the "Convert to Active Member" link OR call ADHA at 312-440-8900 and press 1 OR email your name, ADHA member ID number, license number and state of licensure to member.services@adha.net.

As an active member, you will have even more opportunities and benefits. With ADHA, you will increase your professional edge by taking advantage of state and local networking and continuing education opportunities. You can also explore your career options by using our Employment Guide, online Career Center and local job postings on your state website. And, you will continue to get discounts on professional items such as loupes, books, scrubs, car rentals and insurance just to name a few. You will find all of your member benefits online at http://benefits.adha.org.

Now that you have begun your dental hygiene career, remember to take advantage of this opportunity to transition your ADHA student membership to active – you might be the lucky winner of a new pair of loupes!



Good luck!
Jackie Matejcak
Manager, Student Relations
American Dental Hygienists' Association

The ADHA and Sunstar hosted our first-ever YouTube competition and let the viewing public vote for the winners. We hope that you had the opportunity to view the videos created by the students. Each student or student team had to create a video that taught a five year old proper brushing. This competition allowed them to flex their creative muscles! And did they ever! Congrats to our winners! Check them out on our YouTube Channel.

1^st place – Derek Sanders – Western Kentucky University

2^nd place – Kate Steininger – Baylor College of Dentistry

3^rd place – Kassidi Morrison – Hudson Valley Community College
 

-ADHA

STUDENTS:  Are you graduating this December or next Spring?  Register NOW and SAVE!  National Board Review Course Early Registration Rates End October 9^th!

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to take ADHA’s NEWLY REVISED National Dental Hygiene Board Exam Review course!  REGISTER NOW & SAVE! Registration rates increase after October 9^th!  This new review course will provide you with the critical thinking skills as well as offer case studies to prepare YOU for your exam, at an affordable price!