Getting prepared and ‘bear-y’ excited for Advocacy Month

Now, I’m no comedian, but I feel inclined to share a joke with you to get things started:

What did the dental student see at the North Pole?

The same thing that you’ll see again this November — the Molar Bear!

Today is Nov. 1, which means welcome to Advocacy Month. If you aren’t familiar with the Molar Bear, she’s ASDA’s official mascot and is un-bear-ably cute! Throughout the month, she travels from chapter to chapter across the country and encourages dental students to get involved with advocacy and tackle some of its biggest questions like, what is grassroots advocacy? Why is it important? How should I get involved? Bear in mind — these are some important questions we’ll explore.

When we last saw our furry friend, the world looked a little different. COVID-19 forced us out of our clinics and classrooms, and launched us into a new virtual world. It was un-bear-able. While our fire to advocate for our profession and our patients refused to extinguish, advocacy in 2020 was a polar opposite from what we were used to.

But those changes weren’t fur-ever. The Molar Bear is coming out of hi-bear-nation just in time to celebrate. This year, we’re ready to take our advocacy to places we never thought paw-sible. This year, our efforts will focus on Getting Back to Our (Grass) Roots.

Are you still with me? Just bear-ly? Ok, let’s break it down to the bear minimum.

As much as Zoom allowed us to meet, strategize and collaborate, no Zoom meeting can replace the power of in-person grassroots advocacy. Grassroots advocacy means starting locally from the ground-up to influence issues at the state or federal level. We connect with our peers to discuss important issues affecting us today as students and tomorrow as dentists. Issues such as student debt, bear-iers to care and licensure reform keep us bear-ied in thought at the power of effecting change.

You may be wondering: How fur will these puns go? You wouldn’t bear-lieve we have a few more. Here’s how you can get involved this month.

To highlight how grassroots advocacy reaches all corners of the earth, we’re challenging every ASDA chapter to submit their most unique, adventurous and creative video to our “Oh, the Places the Molar Bear Will Go” video competition. Strike a paws with the Molar Bear at a park or in clinic, and show us all the paw-sible places the Molar Bear goes with you. We’re looking for fur-nominal videos, so you better high-tail it to your fur-vorite coffee shop.

Unsure about how to hold an in-person advocacy event after a year on Zoom? Bear sure to join us for our chapter idea exchange on Nov. 9 at 7: fur-ty (7:30) Central time. Whether your chapter has had success with a “Red, White and Brews” event or an advocacy debate, bring your thoughts and ideas as we brainstorm how to bear-gin advocating at the grassroots level. 

Ultimately, this month is about the bear. Sorry, I mean this month is about you. Getting involved in these discussions and building coalitions at the local level are crucial in our pursuit of change.

Tom Peters, acclaimed American writer, stated, “Community organizing is all about building grassroots support. It’s about identifying the people around you with whom you can create a common, passionate cause.” After a year that so quickly separated us from our peers, let’s get back to our (grass) roots.

I’ll leave you with one last joke to kick off our advocacy efforts on a high note: What do you call a toothless bear? A gummy bear, of course!

~Jake Holtzmann, Colorado ’22, ASDA Council on Advocacy Chair

The impact of organized dentistry

Organized dentistry describes the tripartite of dental advocacy though which many different groups work together —
at the local, state, and national levels — to improve and advance the dental profession. Dr. Stephanie Sandretti has been involved in all three levels of advocacy and remains an active member in organized dentistry. Before graduating from the UCLA School of Dentistry in 2013, she was fully invested in advocacy efforts through ASDA and the ADA. Since then, Dr. Sandretti has further expanded her scope of involvement, especially in California dental societies, and she continues to demonstrate steadfast dental leadership in these organized advocacy groups.

CONTOUR: What was your path to organized dentistry?

DR. STEPHANIE SANDRETTI: In dental school, I was very involved with the very active UCLA ASDA chapter. During my third year, I was a district 11 ADA delegate — able to attend the ADA House of Delegates, represent ASDA, vote, etc. Being involved at that level as a student sparked my passion for organized dentistry. I was also involved with the Academy of General Dentistry and went to their lobby day events for two years, becoming active with federal legislation.

Eventually I got more involved with the California Dental Association and have been a member of its Government
Affairs Council since 2016. In addition, I am a guest of the Sacramento District Dental Society, addressing state lawmakers as a professional witness to educate them and the public about the importance of certain topics relevant to dentists and business owners.

Finish reading about Dr. Sandretti in the October issue of Contour magazine.

~Christine Shoemaker, Washington ’23, Chapter Advocacy Chair

How to stay organized and HIPAA-compliant in clinic

Starting clinic in dental school is a refreshing change of pace for students. The excitement and anticipation of treating patients also comes with the responsibility of keeping track of everything you do. For many students who are in charge of contacting their own patients to schedule appointments, it is critical to have a system in place so no one is forgotten. A missed appointment here or a rescheduled visit there can easily cause a patient to slip through the cracks if we aren’t aware of all the care we provide.

The nightmare scenario we want to avoid is forgetting to reschedule a patient for an appointment that should have been done ages ago. What are the best methods we can use to keep track of our patient pool — whether or not you read every patient’s chart every day or week — while staying within the bounds of HIPAA policy?

A quick search online will tell you the 18 identifiers that qualify as patient personal identifiers (name, age, etc.), or protected health information. Our student digital electronic health record systems contain every single one of these identifiers (and more) for a patient. While we are logged in securely at school or through a remote server, it is no issue to keep track of patients. However, most of us do not live at school or are not logged into our EHR all the time. Even those who do have easy access to a remote server may prefer other means of staying organized outside of the software solutions provided to us as clinicians. After discussing with my school’s clinical and security HIPAA compliance experts, I learned best practices to stay compliant to HIPAA while attempting to streamline the multitude of patients, appointments, classes and other responsibilities that dental school throws at us.

Keeping track of patients within your institution’s digital records system

This is probably the easiest, most worry-free method of keeping track of your patient obligations. While operating within the EHR, you can use its multiple features such as the patient’s chart and notes, the universal scratchpad, and even messaging to keep lists of patients’ needs, appointments, etc. While operating within the EHR, you are not assuming any additional risk of exposing private information. However, the downside to this method is the limited capabilities of the features discussed; most are simply word processors with no ability for formatting, tables, checklists or dynamic functions. This approach does work, though, if you’re on top of the patient pool and frequently updating treatments and appointments.

Considerations for other methods of organizing your patient pool

For those who may want to create new ways of managing your workflow, the most important step to safeguard your data is to double-check the security of your method with your school’s HIPAA compliance experts, which may include the clinical director and IT experts. Each school handles their patient data in different ways with different degrees of freedoms. For example, the mail and office productivity client our school uses is HIPAA compliant and, therefore, offers additional software options to manage patient records outside of the EHR. Your school may have other viable options for managing data outside of the digital realm as well, and the best way to find out is to ask.

~Harish Balasubramani, Pittsburgh ‘22, ASDA Electronic Editor

The importance of ASDA policy and submitting resolutions

ASDA policy is a powerful method for communicating between current dentists, dental students and future dental students. It helps define what is important to dental students and the organization, and can be used to form advocacy stances and strategies on the local or national level. Policy also serves as a guide to ensure ASDA’s board acts in accordance with what the student body, or the ASDA House of Delegates, agreed upon. In addition, the ease of access to ASDA’s policy will allow us to look back at the policies when we become dentists and inspire us to continue to aid ASDA, even when we are no longer students.

Broadly speaking, ASDA policy reflects the topics and issues that are important to us as dental students, and we can carry these with us as we move forward in our careers. This year, we have continued to build on the foundation that the ASDA founders laid down in the 1970s.

For example, one of our oldest policies, E-1 Due Process, was created in 1977 to protect dental students in disciplinary proceedings. It encourages dental schools to have due process procedures that allow dental students to have a meaningful defense when charged with misconduct. In spring 2021, we voted on a resolution to expand the policy because when dental students face disciplinary charges, students risk losing their position in dental school, their potential future income, their time spent pursuing dentistry and the student debt they have accumulated in the process.  Where the stakes are high, so, too, should be the burden of proof. Therefore, the due process policy was changed to encourage schools seeking to discipline a student to use “clear and convincing” evidence, as opposed to the “preponderance of the evidence” standard that only requires 51% certainty that a student committed a wrongful act. It is policies such as this that help protect our interests and show where we stand on certain issues.

What is a resolution?

A resolution is the primary method to change current ASDA policy or adopt new policy. Resolutions are presented at Annual Session to be discussed and voted on by the ASDA House of Delegates, which is the “supreme legislative body of the association and is responsible for electing officers and determining policies, initiatives and directives.” The house is comprised of dental students appointed by their chapters.

Submitting a resolution is also a way to raise awareness on an issue that could lead to change, even if it is not adopted into ASDA policy. While there are no technical restrictions on what you submit, your resolution should relate to dental student issues within ASDA’s mission statement.

To increase the probability of your resolution making its way to the voting floor, make sure you thoroughly research your issue so it is well-drafted and supported. You can find a template on ASDA’s website as well as resolutions that have succeeded in the past.

After submission of your resolution, be willing to adjust as recommended by the board. Lastly, be available to defend your resolution at Annual Session, so you can address any questions or concerns the delegates may have.

If you want ASDA to consider taking a position on a certain issue or simply see a change that needs to happen, submit a resolution. All of ASDA’s voting members will be required to read your resolution, and your message will be heard. Ultimately, ASDA policy is powerful because it is the unified voice of dental students. By simply submitting a resolution, you help create the change you wish to see.

Our world is one of increments. Submit a resolution and move our world one inch closer to what you would like it to be.

~Michael Rosales, Roseman ‘22

Student guide to networking

Entering my first ASDA conference as a first-year dental student in 2019, I was anxious about meeting new people and making great first impressions. I relied on 2019–2020 ASDA Vice President Brandon Rensch to guide me through my first networking experience. At a dental conference, Rensch says everyone is in the same awkward situation of not knowing anyone around them. Fortunately, everyone automatically has much in common — we’re all dental students. He suggested asking easy questions like what school they go to and build off that.

The conference ended up being a blast and was a great opportunity to meet other dental students around the nation with similar interests. It can be scary to put yourself out there and meet other people, but hopefully this article can help you make connections.

9 networking tips

According to the 2014 issue of Science of People, networking enables you to exchange information, meet new professional contacts, and build mutually beneficial relationships. Like anything in life, networking takes practice to develop a skill set, but it is something anyone can learn to do. While there are many ways to network, here are nine tips to help you successfully network.

Read all nine tips in the October 2021 issue of Contour magazine.

~Saif Shah, Creighton ’22

Licensure compacts: A way to increase licensure portability

Where do you see yourself living in five years? How about 10 or 20 years?

As a dentist, the answer to this question could be impacted by your ability to get licensed.

If you choose to move to a different licensing jurisdiction from the one in which you were initially licensed, you will need to apply for a new license. Many states do have a licensure-by-credentials process by which currently licensed professionals can apply for a new license. Although many states have a similar list of core requirements that must be met, there are nuances, and the process can be lengthy and expensive.

Why does this matter to you?

Unless you have the next 30-40 years of your professional and personal life planned out, you may end up moving and be required to get a new license in a different jurisdiction in order to keep practicing.

We live in an increasingly mobile society. According to the ADA’s Health Policy Institute, about one in 13 dentists moved to a different state between 2015 and 2020. Among dentists aged 40 or younger, about one in six migrated across state lines during the same period. Dentists who are civilian spouses of those serving in the military move frequently and may be forced to pursue and maintain multiple licenses, which can put undue stress on the support system of our military. Academia is a highly mobile profession and, often, dentist faculty cross state lines to pursue employment. Sometimes, volunteer efforts can be restricted based on the ability of dental professionals to get licensure by credentials.

A new opportunity

The U.S. Department of Defense is providing funding to the Council of State Governments (CSG) to assist professionals in the development of new interstate compacts for occupational licensure portability.  Because the ADA’s Comprehensive Policy on Dental Licensure calls for state dental boards to consider participating in licensure compacts and establishing a common core of credentials for granting licensure,  the ADA’s Council on Dental Education and Licensure submitted an application for assistance from CSG. This application was supported by many dental communities of interest, including ASDA, American Dental Education Association, American Dental Hygienists’ Association, the Coalition for Modernizing Dental Licensure, Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations and the Association of Dental Support Organizations.

We are proud to announce that the Department of Defense selected the professions of dentistry and dental hygiene to receive technical assistance from CSG to develop model interstate compact legislation. CSG hosted a webinar in August 2021 that provided a more in-depth discussion of compacts and an overview of the development process, which will take place over the next few years. Click here to watch the recording.

Looking forward

Back to the question — where do you see yourself in five, 10, 20 years? Although professional mobility may not be your priority right now, consider the positive impact a licensure compact could have on your career over the next few decades. I encourage you to stay involved in organized dentistry and get involved in licensure reform. It’s your future!

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Dr. Jacqueline Plemons is the chair of the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure and past president of the Texas Dental Association. A graduate of the Baylor College of Dentistry, she completed a periodontal residency earning a Master of Science in oral biology and a certificate in periodontics. Dr. Plemons also has completed a fellowship in oral medicine. 

This blog post was sponsored by the American Dental Association.

Compassion: The upholding pillar of a dental practice

Entering official clinical practice and starting to care for patients presents a whole new set of challenges. The level of stress can be overwhelming for students, faculty and patients alike. Students are concerned about their requirements to successfully graduate. Faculty are engulfed in academic and curriculum responsibilities. Patients are often concerned about finances, the anxiety-triggering dental procedures and much more. In such straining circumstances, it is easy to abandon each other and to only focus on your own needs instead. In the midst of our own concerns, we cannot forget to be selfless — compassion is the main upholding pillar of an excellent dental practice. 

During the behavioral dentistry course at University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Dr. Isabel Rambob often stressed the importance of one’s well-being in regard to showing compassion. She explained that when on a flight, the cabin crew advises passengers to, in the case of an emergency, place their own oxygen mask on first before helping others. Similarly, a dental provider cannot efficiently serve others if they don’t take care of themselves. That is why it is crucial to address your health needs while working in clinic.

Several dental students miss their lunch because they have to go from one clinical session to another. However, they should make sure to at least have a small snack and some water to recharge and be able to competently perform procedures. To balance the difficulties and challenges of daily life, it is important to have a hobby that is enjoyable. Whether it is talking to friends or listening to music, all such activities are an essential part of one’s well-being. 

Although it is easy to speak on the ideals of compassion and well-being, it can be rather difficult to effectively and genuinely put them into practice. It is helpful to constantly remind ourselves what really matters in the long-run and to continuously challenge ourselves to do what is best for yourself and others. 

As Mary Davis beautifully stated: “We can’t heal the world today, but we can begin with a voice of compassion, a heart of love, an act of kindness.” 

~Ashraf Oreizi, Maryland ‘23