2022

The CDA Foundation is pleased to report that the Ukraine Relief Fund raised $41,000 through the generous support of CDA members and other donators. CDA and TDIC also contributed to the fund. 

Sharing her own commitment to service with students at WesternU’s College of Dental Medicine, Dr. Watanabe’s efforts are influencing future dentists to be more compassionate and community-focused.

The CDA Foundation awarded Dr. Stone just over $103,000 in student loan repayment in exchange for her commitment to maintain an overall patient caseload of at least 30% Medi-Cal patients for at least two years in either a Dental Health Professional Shortage Area or an underserved worksite.

Soon, all California employers with at least one employee and no employer-sponsored retirement plan will be required to facilitate CalSavers enrollment for their workers, including new hires within 30 days of hiring. 

Workers in California dental offices are no longer required to quarantine after a close-contact exposure with someone who has COVID-19 if the exposed worker is asymptomatic and does not test positive, according to updated state guidance.

The Department of Managed Health Care asked Delta Dental to report any rate changes affecting over 10% of its provider network to the department. Additionally, DMHC is monitoring its help desk for calls from consumers.  

The Dentists Insurance Company (TDIC) has noted an increase in calls to its Risk Management Advice Line from dentists who are facing AwDA digital accessibility lawsuits. Read more about the law and reasonable accessibility as well as the risks of noncompliance and benefits of compliance.

The Specialty Dental Clinic Grant Program, made possible through a $50 million state budgetary investment led by CDA and supported by a coalition of providers, dental schools, disability rights organizations and consumer advocates, is estimated to begin accepting applications in fall 2023. 
 

The dental initiatives of California’s transformative Medi-Cal proposal, CalAIM, have added to the significant gains made by the Medi-Cal Dental Program, which is designed to serve more than 14.7 million eligible Californians. Read about six major changes that are working for dentists and patients.

Most employees in California, including dental professionals, will gain legal protections from retaliatory actions by employers during emergency situations when a state law takes effect Jan. 1, 2023.

In Tuesday’s election, Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly supported a ballot measure that will require Massachusetts dental plans to spend at least 83% of premium dollars on patient care rather than administrative overhead costs and executive compensation. 
 

While many patients are pleased with their treatment outcomes, occasionally there are patients who claim that reconstructive work did not meet their expectations. Through thoughtful communication, dentists have opportunities to mitigate patient complaints and manage expectations for increased patient satisfaction.