September 2019                

 
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UPCDA CE Meeting 
Wednesday, September 18th
  
Location :     Bon Appetit, Dunedin
Speaker:      Dr. Jeff Scott
Seminar:     Treating Complex Cases Through a Multi-
disciplinary Approach 
Time:             6:00 pm Social, 6:45 pm Lecture
Sponsors:   Dental Supplies Enterprises, Tailored Financial 
                         Strategies of Raymond James, TEOS 
                         International Inc. 

Please include your meal selection ( Chicken, Fish or Veggie). Those that do not specify meal will receive chicken.

Call 727-449-1232 or email lissette@wcdental.org  to register

T reating Complex Cases Through a 
Multi-disciplinary Approach
   
Develop a team and improve communication between specialists for more predictable results treating complex cases.

About our Speaker
Dr.  Jeff Scott received his Dental Degree at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry. He is a senior faculty member of The Dawson Academy, American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, and Fellow International College of Dentists. Most recently, he is the Immediate Past President of Pinellas County Dental Association.

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President's Message

 
It's a brand new day at the UPCDA!   
 
Yes, that rhymes in a way that would make Dr. Seuss proud, but as I start this new year as president of our local dental society, I truly believe it is the case.  There is an opportunity and need for the next wave of prominent dentists in Upper Pinellas to step up and show our community why local dental associations are important.  In my 16 years as a member and practicing orthodontist in our area, I have already seen a number of my valued colleagues I first met as a new orthodontist retire and move on from dentistry, while every week it seems like I get to meet a new dentist moving into our area. The UPCDA is changing, it is evolving...more than just continuing education opportunities, we now embrace doing fun activities together like various mixers at local hot spots, going to a Lightning game together, representing dentistry in a local parade, and stepping outside our comfort zone to help those in need here and around the world. Will you join me in this exciting new year? And most importantly, who will you invite to join the UPCDA with you?   
 
Our membership year is getting ready to start and we have a full calendar of CE and events ready to offer our members. Our focus on CE will be strongly clinical and practice management in focus, with lectures on restorative dentistry, prosthodontics, and periodontics, along with a treatment presentation and patient communication seminar that will be perfect for your dental team members. We start the year off with 2 social events in Dunedin and Clearwater, and then will celebrate the holidays together with a group trip to a Tampa Bay Lightning game. A free chart and x-ray shredding day for our members will be held in February, and we will take our UPCDA float in the  Dunedin Mardi Gras   parade to the next level with the Jolly Trolley!
 
On the advocacy and legislative side, it has already been an active year for pertinent changes and challenges for practicing dentists in Florida. Governor DeSantis has signed HB 843 into law, an FDA win which will re-establish the dental student loan repayment program for dentists who practice as Medicaid providers in under served areas. Also, the required opioid prescribing course has been adjusted to allow the seminar to be presented by certified dental groups instead of just medical physicians, and it is now clarified that all practicing dentists (regardless of if they have a DEA license or not) are mandated to take the course prior to February 29, 2020. Additionally, mandatory CE has been established through HB 851 to combat human trafficking through education of all practicing dentists on identifying victims and reporting potential cases. Telehealth continues to be an active issue with HB 23 that Governor DeSantis signed into law as well.  Although the FDA opposed the permission of out-of-state telehealth provides to administer services remotely even with state registration, their opposition was unsuccessful and the state governance passed the telehealth bill under the auspices of access to care. The FDA remains in active discussion with the implementation and management of telehealth to ensure a balanced field of practice and to protect the public. Lastly, at the national level, the ADA president Dr. Jeffery Cole recently filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission against SmileDirectClub (SDC), citing several practices of SDC that the ADA believes to be deceptive.
If you have concerns on the legislative affairs affecting dentistry, please make sure to join us for our UPCDA group trip for Dentists Day on the Hill in Tallahassee in February! This event is the perfect opportunity to help our dental leaders and lobbyists carry your message to our state legislators...more details to follow on our DDOH trip but save the date for Feb 3-4, 2020.
 
Finally, I would like to take a moment to recognize the passing of a local and national dental legend in Dr. Pete Dawson. Widely considered one of the most influential clinicians and teachers in dental history, Dr. Dawson passed away at the age of 89 on July 29, 2019 and was a fixture in the dental community of Pinellas County with his Dawson Academy located in St. Petersburg. Many of our member dentists, myself included, were impacted and educated by his courses on restorative dentistry, occlusion, and TMD disorders.  We were very fortunate to have this dental icon as part of our dental community over the years and I would like to extend our deepest condolences to his family and colleagues at the Dawson Academy.
 
I hope this letter has found you doing well in the your practice of dentistry! The UPCDA executive board and myself look forward to seeing you all again very soon and are excited about the 2019-20 membership year. It's a brand new day at the UPCDA! Make sure to get involved and bring your dentist friends with you for the fun!
 
Sincerely,
Jeremy M. Albert, DMD MS

PS:  On a personal note, I hope you will consider joining our small UPCDA team on our upcoming dental mission trip to St. Louis du Nord Haiti February 5-10, 2020! Mission trips like this are so impactful to those in need in these remote areas and I look forward to sharing the special memory of this trip with any of you that have an adventurous servant's heart as well. Dental team members (hygienists especially) and teenage children are welcome to join too.

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Join your local
UPCDA friends this Thursday for a
free and fun mixer!

September 12th
6:00pm-8:00pm
Grillsmith Countryside
Food & drinks included

Come find out what we have going on at the UPCDA!!  This is a  Free event for members and non-member dentists in the Upper Pinellas area, so why not? Don't miss out.. we hope to see you there!
Third-party Payers Survey
 
Your Florida Dental Association Council on Dental Benefits and Care and the House of Delegates is working on improving interactions with third-party payers. 

Please help the FDA find out the issues that are that are important to you regarding third-party payers, by clicking  here .

Thank you, 
Wendy Churchill-Urrico, DMD 
FDA Chair, Council of Dental Benefits and Care 
Dentists' Day on the Hill


 
Every year, FDA members gather in Tallahassee and help shape dentistry's future by meeting with legislators during the state legislative session. These face-to-face encounters strengthen the FDA's position on key legislation.

Join us in making a difference, register  here!

Funding Available 
The WCDDA has funding available for first time attendees to Dentists' Day on the Hill (DDOH).  Click here to apply.


Join us for UPCDA's Holiday Social 
Thursday, December
 19th, 7:00pm 
Amalie Arena
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Dallas Stars 

For complete details and to register click
here  register.
EPA Amalgam Recycling Rule

In June 2017, the EPA issued a ruling that would require most dental practices nationwide to install devices called separators to capture dental amalgam waste to prevent its release to sewer systems. The final rule went into effect on July 14, 2017 and dental offices will have until July 14, 2020 to be in full compliance. The ADA believes the new federal regulation represents a fair and reasonable approach. Please see page 13 to view a helpful flowchart outlining this ruling. For more information, visit the ADA's website here.

Best Management Practices for Amalgam Waste


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Florida Dental Association 
Leadership Development Committee
Training Opportunity

Last year the Leadership Development Committee launched a successful endeavor called Ambassador Training. Twenty leaders from across the state came to the FDA Headquarters for leadership training. The focus was on presentation skills (to the media and in other situations) and a tour of the FDA Headquarters with small presentations by each department - helping everyone understand all that is available to them. 

The Leadership Development Committee is hosting its second Ambassador Training on the eve of Dentists' Day on the Hill. The event is on February 3, 2020, which will feature great leadership speakers and provide the opportunity to learn more about all levels of organized dentistry. This event leads into the Dentists' Day on the Hill activities later that night.

For questions regarding this opportunity, please contact 
Dr. Kim Jernigan at
Please contact Larry Darnell at  ldarnell@floridadental.org
by 9/30/2019 to let him know if you will be attending this amazing opportunity!

In This Issue
September 18th Meeting
UPCDA Mixer this Thur.
3rd Party Payer Survey
DDOH
UPCDA Hockey Holiday Event
Amalgam Rule
FDA Leadership Training
UPCDA Meeting Schedule
Stay Connected via Text
Meet our New Member
Dues are Due
importantdate 
UPCDA SCHEDULE

September 12, 2019
UPCDA Mixer
Grillsmith
Clearwater, FL 

September 18, 2019
Dr. Jeff Scott
Treating Complex Cases through a Multi-disciplinary Approach
Bon Appetit
Dunedin, FL

October 16, 2019
Dr. Nick Grimaudo
Medical Errors
Eastlake Woodlands Country Club
Oldsmar, FL

November 13, 2019
Dr. Brent Mayer
Joint Meeting with PCDA
The Hilton Carillon Park
St. Petersburg, FL

December 19, 2019
Tampa Bay Lightning Game - Holiday Social
Amelia Arena
Tampa, FL

January 15, 2020
Dr. Phil Hedger
Prosthodontic Lecture
Belleair Country Club
Belleair, FL

February 5-10, 2020
Mission Trip to Haiti

February 25, 2020
UPCDA Float
Dunedin Mardi Gras Parade
Dunedin, FL

February 28, 2020
UPCDA Shred Day
Dr. Jeremy Albert's Office
2445 Tampa Rd. #A
Palm Harbor, FL 34683

March 11, 2020
Dr. Jason Watts
Understanding the patient's "No" & How to make them say "Yes".
Eastlake Woodlands Country Club
Oldsmar, FL

April 15, 2020
Dr. Jessica Stilley
Perio & Alzheimer's 



WCCDA Annual Meeting



February 7, 2020

USF CAMLS Center
124 South Franklin Street
Tampa, FL 33602

Please join us for our Annual Meeting which includes featured programs, Guest Speakers, an Exhibit Hall, and Table Clinic Presentations!

Click here to register!



Helpful Links
 
 

Our Condolences


Dr. George Safirstein a longtime orthodontist in Clearwater passed away on Thursday, July 11, 2019.  Click here to read more about Dr. Safirstein. 
Receive UPCDA Meeting Notices & Information Via Text
by simply texting UPCDA to 55222


Richard "Kirk" Gyles
Pedodontist

Kristyn Healey, DMD
Palm Harbor

Jason Horwitz, DDS
Palm Harbor

Steve Neyer, DMD
Dunedin

Luisa Rodriguez, DDS
Palm Harbor

Miguel Saravia, DDS
Endodontist 

Ed Toro, DMD
Pedodontist
Palm Harbor & Tampa 
 
Invite your non member colleague to a UPCDA meeting at no cost. Contact UPCDA (727) 449-1232.
 
Your 2019-2020 UPCDA Member Dues are past due. Contact Lissette if you are unsure if you have paid