DTAF Welcomes New Executive Director

The DTA Foundation is pleased to announce Laura Fleming Doyle, CAE, as their new Executive Director. Laura is an experienced health care association/foundation executive whose experience includes fundraising and donor cultivation, financial administration and budget development, strategic planning and organization development, board relations, policy development, e-commerce, online and print communications, conferences, and more. Welcome Laura!

DTAF's 2^nd Evening of Thanks was a Success!

We honored DTA Foundation donors, grant recipients and access to care leaders at our Second Annual Evening of Thanks Celebration featuring the Dental Industry Showdown Texas Hold'em Tournament, in New York City. The event also supported educational and access to oral care grants.

Greeting arrivals from left to right are Tom Gallop, SS White, Scott Anderson, Patterson Dental and Al King, Preventech, also the Immediate Past Chairman of the DTA Board.

Some of the Texas Hold'em participants and onlookers

The winning smiles of DTAF tournament players. From left to right: Tournament winner Paul Mondock, Septodont Inc., Laura Doyle, new Executive Director of the DTA Foundation, Carolyn Van Eck, GC America and DTA Foundation Chair, and Tim Rogan, Patterson Dental.

Celebrating the success of the DTA Foundation Event, from left to right are: Dan Dixon, Sybron Dental and Chairman of the DTA Market Data Work Group, Gary Price, DTA CEO, and Perry Lowe, Axis Dental and DTA Board of Directors Chairman Elect.

Two of the nicest card sharks in the dental industry display good cheer. From left to right: John Franz, Palodex and John O’Neil, GC America.

Sharing a festive moment are, from left to right: Andy Whitehead, Crosstex and auctioneer extraordinaire, and Carolyn Van Eck, GC America and DTA Foundation Board Chair.

Dental Trade Alliance Foundation is Helping the Children's Dental Health Project Make a Difference

The Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP) received one of the four $25,000 grants awarded by the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation in 2009. The CDHP has worked for over a decade to help assure millions of low and moderate-income families access to dental care through Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Within weeks of receipt of the grant, Congressional debate began on health care reform. As a result, CDHP began focusing efforts on solidifying dental provisions in health care reform.

The goal was to maintain the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) provisions in the legislation and to expand the availability of dental coverage and access to dental care. CDHP worked closely with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on clarifying CHIPRA dental provisions, providing technical information and support to CMS on the implementation of Insure Kids Now.

In addition, the DTAF grant helped support a weekly health reform newsletter that is sent to over 1000 dental industry leaders, national, state and local advocates, dental providers, and state officials.

The DTAF Board of Directors is pleased that the funding awarded the CDHP has helped it assist numerous organizations and individuals who are in turn working to help tens of thousands of low and moderate income people achieve and maintain good oral health.

Promising Practices Symposiums for Give Kids a Smile

The Fourth in a series of annual Promising Practices Symposiums for Give Kids a Smile took place at the headquarters of the American Dental Association on July 22-23, 2010. This year's theme was Raising the Momentum Through Continuity of Care: Finding Dental Homes for America's Children. Each of these Symposiums have been made possible through a grant from the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation. Volunteers from the Foundation have moderated each of the events. Pictured with ADA President Dr. Ron Tankersley (center) are DTA Foundation representatives Tom Gallop of SS White (right) and Kevin Thomas of 3M ESPE (left).