LDA - Louisiana Dental Association

LDAexecutive directorWard Blackwell, M.J., Executive Director, LDATen Year Milestone a Chance to Note BothConstants and ChangeRecently, in a moment or two of calm reflection, it dawnedon me that I recently surpassed 10 years with the LDA.As this realization sunk in, I recalled more and morethings that have changed (mostly for the better) in thedecade since I first walked into the association office.For the record, one thing that hasn’t changed much is thenovelty of those moments of calm reflection. If anything,they’ve been rarer than ever since the twin terrors Katrinaand Rita visited. And, since the combined Annual Session/New Orleans Dental Conference concluded right as theunparalleled zaniness of a legislative session began, there’sbeen no let up lately.So there’s a lot going on at the LDA right now, as thereis most of the time. But that got me wondering how muchof that activity is attributable to new programs, projectsand benefits the LDA initiated in the past 10 years? Considerthat in the past ten years:• The LDA Web site first came online (July 1, 1997).• The LDA Council on the New Dentist, Council onLDA Sessions, Medicaid Task Force and DentalAccess and Prevention Political Action Committee(DAPPAC) were all created.• The LDA Fishing Rodeo, Summer EducationConference, Game Day Seminar and LADPAC GolfTournament were all inaugurated.• The LDA joined the LSU School of Dentistry’sCommittee of 100 and began sponsoring theLSUSD awards luncheon, “Lunch & Learns” forthe LSUSD ASDA chapter, and the LSUSD-ASDAskeet shoot.• The LDA began presenting the New Dentist Awardand attaching a monetary prize to the LDA StudentAward.• A three-year statewide public relations campaignwas undertaken and Give Kids a Smile Day began.• The LDA Assistance Fund was created to providelow-interest loans to dentists seeking treatment forchemical dependency.• The LDA began soliciting sponsorships of LDAconferences and events, eventually growing fromnothing to more than $25,000 per year.That’s a fairly impressive, though not comprehensivelist of new initiatives originating in the past 10 years.However, that’s not to say that all other activities inwhich the LDA engages have remained static. In actuality,there are many services provided and functions served bythe LDA continually over the past decade that have seennoteworthy innovations and improvements. For instance:• The LDA Annual Session is now combined withthe New Orleans Dental Conference.• The LDA Web site has been re-designed with morefeatures, information and members-only content.• The LDA C.E. calendar went from listing a fewevents in the back of the Journal to includingvirtually all major C.E. events in the state and isnow also posted in an interactive format on theLDA Web site.• The list of companies entering into agreementswith our for-profit subsidiary, LDS, and endorsedby the LDA grew to include Acadian Ambulance,Amalgaway, Bank of America Practice Solutions,Chase Cabinetmakers, DHL Express, D-MMEX,the Institute of Medical Emergency Preparedness,Liberty Mutual Insurance, Office Depot, Paychex,Select Choice Student Loans, Solmetex and RobertEllis and Associates/Fortress Insurance.• The LDA Relief Fund created a disaster grantprogram to provide widespread assistanceimmediately after the hurricanes of 2005.• The LDA’s computers have been networked, mostboard communications have become electronic andwe began managing our grassroots lobbying thougha web-based system called VoterVOICE thatfacilitates instant advocacy for virtually all LDAmembers.• The LDA Strategic Plan is now reviewed annually.14 LDA Journal