ADA News

The ADA in July will convene an all-day conference to engage volunteer dental leaders from across the country in a dialogue on workforce issues, including a close-up look at the various workforce models under consideration in dentistry.

Billed as the 2010 ADA Conference on Workforce Issues, the invitation-only conference will take place Sunday, July 18, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at ADA headquarters in Chicago. The conference is purely informational and will not involve debate of ADA policies, which are the exclusive purview of the House of Delegates.

"As dentists, we are united in our commitment to provide our patients with the finest oral health care, with the dentist as the leader of the team," said Dr. Ron Tankersley, ADA president, announcing the conference. "State dental associations vary on their views of dental workforce models. This conference encourages frank and open informed dialogue on the issue."

Those invited to the conference include the ADA Board of Trustees, the Council on Dental Practice’s Subcommittee on Workforce Issues, selected ADA council representatives, and up to three representatives from each constituent dental society. Incoming ADA trustees are welcome to attend at their own expense. The deadline for conference registration is July 6.

As noted in the conference invitation, the purpose of this gathering is to "engage volunteer leaders in a facilitated, information-based dialogue related to workforce issues that will lead to a better understanding of workforce models, and a better appreciation of regional differences and perspectives on workforce issues."

Observed Dr. Tankersley, "This issue is important to the dental profession and affects the patients we serve. I really see this conference as a learning opportunity for the constituent dental societies to come together, share what they’re experiencing and learn firsthand from each other what is going on in their states."

In addition to the conference itself, the Association will offer toll-free, one-hour webinars before and after the conference for conference invitees. The pre-conference webinar will be offered June 18 and focus on the history of the dental team. The post-conference webinar will explore workforce models and be offered in August, the date and time to be determined.

The July conference and its subject matter are related to an ADA House resolution adopted last year (31H-2009), which emphasized that workforce needs are under the jurisdiction of the states, "and any proposed new member of the dental team should be established at the state level with the advice and counsel of the relevant ADA constituent dental society."

The resolution also notes the ADA's recommendation that any new member of the dental team be supervised by a dentist "and be based on the determination of need, sufficient education and training through a [Commission on Dental Accreditation]-accredited program, and a scope of practice that ensures the protection of the public's oral health."

This year's House of Delegates, which meets in October in Orlando, will convene a Reference Committee on Workforce to consider all resolutions related to allied and dental workforce issues, including a report from the Council on Dental Practice on workforce policy matters referred by the 2009 House. House reference committees are open to all member dentists.