IDA UPDATE
Indiana Dental Association | August 2021
In This Issue

  • 2021 Ethics and Opioids Self-Study Available Soon
  • COVID Vaccine Boosters Offered Next Month
  • IDA Welcomes Kate Ewing
  • IDA Requests Increased Reimbursement Rates from Delta, Anthem
  • Upcoming CE Opportunities
  • IDA Welcomes IUSD Class of 2025 at September Event
  • Make Sure New Patients Can Find You
  • IDA Can Help With All Insurance Needs
Upcoming Events

E-Learning Series: Effective Periodontal Treatment in Patients with Periodontitis and Diabetes
Thursday, September 2, 1 p.m. EST

Fall 2021 Board of Trustees Meeting
Saturday, September 18, 8 a.m. 
IDA Central Office

E-Learning Series: Special Needs Patient Coordination and Considerations
Thursday, October 7, 1 p.m.
IDA Publication to Help Meet Two Upcoming CE Requirements
An upcoming self study publication produced by the IDA will allow members and their staff to meet two important continuing education requirements.

Ethics and Jurisprudence will allow dentists and hygienists to meet their two-hour CE requirement for training in Ethics, Professional Responsibility and Indiana Statutes and Rules governing the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene. All Indiana dentists and hygienists are required to receive this CE before their March 1, 2022, license renewal.

Opioid Abuse and Prevention will allow dentists who wish to renew their controlled substance registration (CSR) to meet the two-hour CE requirement in opioid prescribing before the March 1, 2022, CSR renewal deadline. 

The publication, planned for release in September, will be mailed to all IDA members free of charge. The cost for the accompanying quiz and completion certificate are as follows:

  • Ethics: $30 for members, $50 for hygienists, $200 for non-members
  • Opioids: $30 for members, $200 for non-members.
COVID Vaccine Boosters Offered Beginning Next Month
Health officials announced yesterday that booster doses of the COVID vaccine will be offered this fall, pending authorization from the FDA and CDC. Booster shots have already been recommended for immunocompromised patients and are now being recommended for the general public due to waning effectiveness of the vaccine over time.

Booster shots will be available beginning the week of September 20 but must take place no less than eight months after an individual's most recent dose.

The IDA will continue to inform members about boosters, including the process for scheduling a shot.
IDA Welcomes Kate Ewing
This week the IDA welcomed Kate Ewing as the newest member of the central office staff. Kate is 2021 graduate of Ball State University and replaces Janelle Kramer, who recently left the IDA to become executive director of the Indianapolis District Dental Society.

Kate will be serving as receptionist and will be the first voice you hear when call the IDA office. She will also assist with continuing education support and other administrative duties.
IDA Requests Increased Reimbursement Rates from Delta, Anthem
The COVID pandemic has driven up the cost of providing care, yet dental insurance reimbursement rates have been slow to respond. Earlier this month the IDA Dental Benefits Subcommittee sent correspondence to Delta Dental and Anthem leadership requesting a review of their reimbursement rates in light of the higher cost of providing dental care.

The IDA will keep members informed on the response we receive from our correspondence.
Upcoming CE Opportunities
The IDA is offering numerous live and virtual CE opportunities for members:

  • OSHA/BLS: Registration is now open for fall classes throughout the state. Click here to view dates and locations
  • The 2021 IDA Center for Excellence continues live and in person with Dr. Ken Berley's Introduction to Dental Sleep Medicine Lecture. Click here to learn more and to register
  • The September e-learning series: Effective Periodontal Treatment in Patients with Periodontitis and Diabetes on Thursday, September 2, at 1 p.m. EST

Lastly, be sure to mark your calendars for the 2022 Midwest Dental Assembly May 20-22 in Fort Wayne. More information will be available in the upcoming months.
IDA Welcomes IUSD Class of 2025 at September Event
Meet your future dental colleagues and share memories of dental school with the IUSD classes of 2024 and 2025. The IDA is hosting a "Welcome to the Profession" event on Friday, September 17, at Punch Bowl Social in downtown Indianapolis, and we invite all members to attend as well.

The event will allow dentists and IUSD students to meet and enjoy a fun, casual setting that includes games, billiards, private karaoke, bowling and more. There will be plenty of food, refreshments and, of course, punch.

DATE: Friday, September 17

TIME: 6–9 p.m.

LOCATION: Punch Bowl Social, 120 South Meridian Street (located on the first level of Circle Center Mall)

COST: $35 per person
Make Sure New Patients Can Find You
Can prospective new patients find you? Be sure to keep your professional information updated on the ADA website so that you show up on the ADA's Find a Dentist tool.

To update your profile, log in to the ADA website and click on the MyADA link. You can update your location, office hours and more. Remember, profiles with photos are more likely to be selected.
IDA Can Help With All Insurance Needs
Fall is a great time to evaluate your current insurance coverage and to research all available options. Now is also a great time to ask some questions about your personal and practice coverage:

  • Has your practice grown and added more chairs or even undergone renovations or a build out?
  • Have you replaced the building roof or added any updates to the practice?
  • Has any building management changed and should you present a new certificate of insurance?
  • Do you need to increase life insurance policies based on your practice or family's needs?
  • Are you at a point in your career where you need to increase disability insurance or business overhead insurance?
 
IDA Insurance Services and the IDA Insurance Trust offer competitive rates and comprehensive coverage for everything that matters to you, including:

  • Health insurance for you, your family and your practice staff
  • Medicare supplements
  • Malpractice coverage
  • Disability insurance
  • Life insurance