It’s time to renew your ADA/IDA/local component membership for 2025! More than 80 percent of Indiana’s dentists are members, and together we create a stronger profession for everyone. Join or renew today and enjoy all the benefits of membership for another year, including:

• Advocacy at the state and national level for our profession
• Free and low-cost CE
• National, state and local meetings for networking and professional development
• Member discounts on personal and professional products and services
• Professional advice for clinical and practice management issues

 

 

By Dr. Chris Kirkup, IDA Well Being Program Chair

 

Substance Use Disorders are equal opportunity illnesses. No profession is immune, and dentists will face lifetime prevalence similar to the general adult public of 10-15 percent. We should be concerned about this because dentists, like other medical professionals, are in a position to do harm to the patient when practicing in an impaired fashion (defined as the inability to practice with reasonable skill and safety). This impacts the public trust for the profession of dentistry. This impairment is not always obvious, as it may be from use at work and more likely the aftereffects of use away from work.

While alcohol use may be the primary source of the impairment and the highest prevalence, dentists also have access to many controlled substances with potential for abuse. Both tend to be progressive and may start as social use, eventually leading to problems. With prescription abuse, it may start with treating oneself for neck, back or other pain and may start innocently enough and then spiral out of control with increased tolerance.

Solo practitioners are at additional risk, as there is less oversight, and employed staff may be more reluctant to intervene for fear of losing their jobs. Family members may be reluctant to intervene for loss of income and conflict avoidance. Other dentists may be reluctant to intervene because they do not want to impugn another professional’s reputation, fear of reprisal, think they do not have enough evidence, think it is none of their business, etc. A delay in responding increases risk to everyone including the dentist.

Because of the above and other barriers, dentists are often in an advanced stage of illness before steps are taken. Some of these signs are:

 

• Patients harmed
• Missed appointments
• Poor work relationships
• Patient complaints
• Significant signs of use at work, etc.

 

Knowledge of a fellow impaired dentist carries both professional and legal obligations. Indiana statute requires a dentist to report suspicion of an impaired professional to a peer review committee such as the IDA Well Being Program or the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency.

Fortunately, help is available through the IDA’s Well Being Program. A confidential referral can be made by contacting Candace Backer, LCSW, LCAC at wellbeing@indental.org or phone 800-562-5646, extension 1010.

This program allows for confidential evaluation, treatment, and monitoring as long as the dentist complies with the program and is making progress. The dentist gets the care they need and the assistance to practice safely. It is based on an evidence-based model of care that has proven effective for medical professionals.

 

Wellness is at the forefront of many discussions these days. From depression to anxiety to even physical concerns such as ergonomics in the dental office, support for our members’ mental and physical well-being is more important than ever. IDA has gathered resources and launched a Be Well Committee that helps develop and promote wellness for our members and their entire dental team. Learn more by visiting our Be Well page.

 

Are you prepared to address the special needs of the fastest growing patient demographic in dentistry?

Join us for the November 2024 Center for Excellence program. Dr. Lou Graham will present on the special needs of the fastest growing demographic in dentistry, geriatric patients. Topics addressed will include:

• Why AI (artificial intelligence) is becoming an essential part of our diagnostics and even more!
• How initial exams and recall exams incorporate the latest technologies (digital scanning) and 3D diagnostics (CBCT) into treatment planning and case acceptance.
• Modern day restorative approaches that allow us to prolong our patients’ dentitions.
• The vast majority of these patients present with periodontal issues. Understand the best approaches to “upping” your oral hygiene game and the latest on treating refractory periodontal patients and their periodontal challenges.
• Customizing your own in office dental plan. These patients love them!

 

Event details:

Friday, November 1

9 a.m.-3 p.m. Embassy Suites Conference Center, Plainfield

 

Cost:

• Dentist: $175 ($125 for those who also attended the April Center for Excellence)
• Resident: $25
• Dental Student: $25

 

Registration includes lunch. Attendees will earn 5 LIVE CE credits. Visit our CFE page to learn more and to register.

 

Each year, the IDA awards outstanding faculty at IUSD for their innovation, hard work and significant contributions to the field of dentistry. This year, Dr. Kelton Stewart has the unique distinction of receiving both of our annual awards, the IDA Outstanding Faculty Award and Outstanding Teacher Award. Congratulations to Dr. Stewart for his 2024 honor. He is pictured with (from left) IUSD Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs Dr. Lisa Lang, 2024-25 IDA President Dr. Lisa Conard and IUSD Dean Dr. Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch.

More about Dr. Stewart

Dr. Kelton Stewart is Assistant Dean of Faculty Development and chair of Orthodontics and Oral Facial Genetics Program at IUSD. He has won nine teaching awards in his time at IUSD. One of his nominators spoke of his talent and dedication as a practitioner and professor: “His passion for teaching is evident in his interactions with students and colleagues, where he consistently inspires and engages learners at all levels.” His extensive teaching portfolio, coupled with his success in mentoring students and developing innovative curricula, highlights his commitment to advancing dental education and his dedication to educational excellence.

 

 

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]On Monday, March 11, Governor Eric Holcomb signed one of the most important dental legislative initiatives in recent history.

SEA 132 addresses a number of healthcare issues, including IDA-supported language that would require insurance companies to honor patients’ request that benefits be assigned to the dental office that provides care. While once the assumed payment method, in recent years some carriers used Assignment of Benefits (AOB) as leverage to pressure dentists into joining their provider networks.

“The decision to join or not join a network should be based on each dental office’s individual circumstances and business plan,” said IDA Executive Director Doug Bush. “Our contention was that it was unfair and inappropriate to push dentists into networks that might not be in their best interest by creating a payment hardship for the patient and a collection problem for the dentist.”

The bill also requires insurance companies to notify the dentist before selling or leasing their network to another insurance company.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image=”180583″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” css=”” qode_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]“A dentist could choose to join one network and later find that that network had been leased to multiple other insurance companies,” said Bush. “Instead of making a calculated decision to join one plan, the dentist could later learn that now they were a member of multiple networks. The new law requires insurance companies to notify dentists before selling or leasing their networks to other insurance companies. Dentists will be allowed the option of opting out the networks, if they so choose.”

According to IDA Director of Governmental Affairs Shane Springer, passage of these important initiatives would not have been possible without the involvement of many IDA members.

“I had multiple legislators tell me, ‘My dentist called me… you’ve got my vote!’ That’s why the grassroots involvement of IDA member dentists is so important.”

Springer extended special appreciation to Dr. Megan Keck, Dr. DeLayne LeFevre, Dr. Paul Fisher and Dr. Mark Stetzel, who took the time to travel to the Statehouse to testify in support of the bill during committee hearings.

The insurance industry attempted to amend the bill in committee to remove the IDA supported language. “The vote was incredibly close,” said Springer. “They needed a majority vote to remove our language. Their amendments twice failed by a split vote of 6-6. I have no doubt that the testimony from our member dentists made the difference.”

Mr. Springer also commended Sen. Liz Brown, Rep. Denny Zent, Rep. Brad Barrett, and Rep. Rita Fleming, all of whom spoke forcefully in favor of the IDA-supported measures. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and 93-1 in the House.

“Going into this year’s legislative session, we knew it would be an uphill battle taking on the insurance companies,” said Dr. Steve Holm, chair of the IDA Government Affairs Committee. “Ultimately, we were successful. This success was due largely in part to the hard work of Government Affairs Committee and our members. Whether it was testifying in committee, attending a legislative forum, or personally contacting your legislator, all of membership stepped up to get this done.”

The new law will go into effect on July 1, 2024. If may not affect all patients, as self-insured plans have generally been viewed as regulated by federal ERISA regulations, not state law. However, the ADA is monitoring a recent Supreme Court decision that may challenge that long prevailing exemption assumption.

If you have insurance companies ignore these laws after July 1, you are encouraged to contact Mr. Springer at shane@indental.org so that this information can be forwarded to the ADA for further study.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Registration is now open for the 2024 Midwest Dental Assembly in beautiful, historic French Lick. As always, the event will offer networking events, a vendor Marketplace, 76.5 hours of LIVE CE and more.

Visit our MDA page to learn more and to register.

 

In September 2023, the Journal of the American Dental Association included an article, “Patient shielding during dentomaxillofacial radiography” that included research and guidelines with recommendations from the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology to discontinue shielding in dental radiography based on their research. Earlier this month, the American Dental Association updated its own recommendation language on dental imaging safety with a similar article, “Optimizing radiation safety in dentistry.”

These are big recommendations, but don’t change your practices quite yet. The article and ADA language both point practitioners back to state laws and rules.  Indiana still requires protection of “five tenths (0.5) mm lead equivalent” protection during radiographic exposure according to 410 IAC 5-6.118(t) of Indiana Administrative Code. Here are some key takeaways and things to keep in mind:

• Recommendations from reputable sources have changed and are recommending no shielding with proper technique and equipment for dental radiography.
• Research is continuing and will still be ongoing.
• Guidelines from ADA, state health departments, school curriculum will all need to undergo review.
• Indiana State rules still require shielding.
• Patient expectations and education take time to change.

Indiana Rules  410 IAC 5-6.118 (t):

(t) Except for patients who cannot be moved out of the room, only the staff and ancillary personnel required for the medical procedure or training shall be in the room during the radiographic exposure. In addition to the patient being examined, others will be protected in the following manner:

1. All individuals shall be positioned such that no part of the body will be struck by the useful beam unless protected by five tenths (0.5) mm lead equivalent.
2. Staff and ancillary personnel shall be protected from direct scattered radiation by protective aprons or whole body protective barriers of not less than twenty-five hundredths (0.25) mm lead equivalent.
3. Patients who cannot be removed from the room shall be protected from direct scattered radiation by whole body protective barriers of twenty-five hundredths (0.25) mm lead equivalent or shall be positioned so that portion of the body nearest to the tube head is at least two (2) meters from both the tube head and the nearest edge of the image receptor

 

Click here to read the full Indiana Administrative Code on radiological health.

 

IDA is taking orders for our updated Dental Prescription Reference Guide. This useful guide replaces our previous version with the most up to date guidance on prescriptions and OTC recommendations for dental treatments and overall oral health.

The cost of the guide is $30 and includes both a print copy and digital access.

The booklet is currently in production and is expected to be mailed beginning in early February.

Be sure to order your copy today. Visit our Shop and Donate section to order.

 

All Indiana dentists and hygienists must renew their licenses by Friday, March 1, 2024. The renewal process is now completely online and can be accessed on the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency website.

• You must have a Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) verification code before beginning the renewal process. A unique code was emailed to every Indiana dentist and hygienist on November 30 and again on January 11.
• Before renewing your license, you must have completed all your continuing education hours this licensure cycle. Dentists are required to have completed 20 hours since March 2, 2022. Hygienists must have completed 19 hours since March 2, 2022.
• For both dentists and hygienists, half of those hours must be live CE.
• To view a complete list of required CE for Indiana, click here.

 

Other helpful hints for renewal:

• It’s also important that you verify that your hygienists have renewed their licenses. As a dentist, you are ultimately responsible for ensuring that everyone in your office is properly credentialed.
• The PLA recommends using Google Chrome as your browser for the renewal website. If you need additional assistance with the renewal process, contact the PLA at pla8@pla.in.gov or 317-232-2960.
• If you received your initial dental license on or after March 2, 2022, you do not need to complete additional CE for this renewal cycle only.
• OSHA and HIPAA are required by the federal government, not the state, so you will not be asked if you have taken this CE during the Indiana license renewal process. However, you may apply CE hours in these topics toward your required Indiana hours.