New Orleans Dental Conference and LDA Annual Session Journal ...

LDAWard Blackwell, M.J.LDA Executive Directorfrom the executive directorThere is an awful lot that you CAN get out of yourmembership in the ADA, LDA and your localdental association. What you DO get out of it oftendepends on you.It is true that you can receive many memberbenefits with generally minimal effort. Theessential information contained in dental associationpublications and ADA/LDA Web sites can be accessedwith a click of a mouse or a trip to the mailbox. Otherbenefits like peer review (mediation) and disasterassistance are there when you need them, but aren’tused regularly.One of the most valued benefits, according to ADAmember surveys, is governmental advocacy. While thisrepresentation certainly does benefit members withouttheir actively participating, the value definitely increaseswhen they do. Simply put, the paid lobbyists, staff andvolunteer leaders of the ADA and LDA are FAR moreeffective in our advocacy when we have grassrootssupport. This includes your contributing to our dentalpolitical action committees (ADPAC, LADPAC and DAP-PAC), contacting government officials to support/opposebills (our VoterVOICE system makes this incrediblysimple) and attending grassroots advocacy events likeDentists’ Day at the Legislature.However, taking full advantage of some memberbenefits requires actively making an effort to do so. Theextra effort is well worth it. There’s no better example ofthis than the New Orleans Dental Conference (NODC)and LDA Annual Session.The merged NODC/LDA Session debuted in 2007.Since then, the conference committee has changedcomposition a bit and includes members from severalareas of the state. In fact, the 2010 chairman, Dr. BillHadlock, practices in Baton Rouge.With new faces have come some new ideas. Mostvisible of these are probably the new venues andmenus for the welcome reception/LDA president’s partyand exhibit hall incentives (more opportunities to winprizes). Yet, the committee has also strived to maintainYOUR meeting, YOUR Associationthe traditional strengths of the conference as well. Theresult is a regional dental meeting that has set the barquite high in terms of an overall quality experience.Yet, while attendance figures are on the rise, therate of growth suggests that many of you have not yetrecognized the value of YOUR state dental meeting.This is not just about getting continuing education(C.E.) hours. If your only concern is getting theminimum number of hours required every two yearsin order to maintain your license, there are plenty ofinexpensive, convenient options available to everydentist in the state through study clubs, local societies,online, etc. The conference committee and boards ofLDA and NODA are well aware of this.However, the C.E. at the NODC/LDA Sessionoffers a broad array of excellent speakers and timely,interesting topics, including many tailored to greatlyenhance the knowledge of your staff. And while itmay not be the absolute cheapest C.E., the $300registration fee for all LDA members is still a VERYgood deal. (And, the $55-85 rates for assistants andhygienists is a real steal!)What makes the conference a truly unique value isall the other things it brings together along with theC.E. For instance, well over 100 exhibitors providethe best opportunity in the entire state to check outthe most cutting edge products and services for yourpractice. And, almost all of them are available at steepdiscounts for those attending the conference.Several other dental organizations, including thePierre Fauchard Academy and LSU School of DentistryAlumni Association, plan events that take placeduring this conference, including several LSUSD classreunions. For Louisiana dentists, this is by far the bestnetworking opportunity in any year.And, the NODC/LDA Session is when many of theLDA’s most important policy decisions get made. Isthere an issue important to you that you believe theLDA should be addressing? Do you have concernsover some present LDA policy positions? There is no14 LDA Journal