CALIFORNIA
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SUMMER 2022
MYLINH NGO, MANAGING EDITOR
CSPD members are encouraged to contribute to the Bulletin. Articles, Letters to the Editor, or other items of interest are welcome. Items for publication may be submitted to Managing Editor Dr. MyLinh Ngo via email at mylinh.ngo@gmail. com. The products, strategies, services, and informational content presented in the Bulletin by contributing authors and advertisers is not necessarily endorsed nor proposed by CSPD. Mission of the Bulletin: The Bulletin of California Society of Pediatric Dentistry shall be to examine and identify the issues that affect the specialty of Pediatric Dentistry and the oral health of teenagers and children. All of our readers should remain informed and participate in the formulation of public policy and personal leadership to advance the purposes of the Society. The Bulletin is not a political publication and does not knowingly promote the specific views at the expense of others. The views and opinions expressed in the Bulletin do not necessarily represent those of the California Society of Pediatric Dentistry.
SUMMER IS HERE!
Dr. Thomas Tanbonliong - CSPD President
It has been a busy season for your CSPD leadership. In May, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) held its annual meeting in San Diego. After two years of hiatus, this in-person meeting was well attended. Our combined member reception with the Western Society of Pediatric Dentistry (WSPD) was hugely successful. Around two hundred members attended with their guests, spouses, and children. Thanks to Dr. Catherine Pham, our AAPD/WSPD liaison, for organizing this successful event. CSPD leaders were also involved in several committees within AAPD leadership. Our presence is felt. I am proud to say that the spirit of volunteerism is alive and well in CSPD.
Congratulations to Dr. Gila Dorostkar for being elected as the new AAPD Member At Large Trustee. This is a testament that CSPD leaders can achieve great things and contribute to the advancement of our profession. We are proud of Dr. Dorostkar's accomplishments!
This May, we welcomed Ms. Diane Skullr, our new administrative office manager. Ms. Skullr has been instrumental in our transition from SMA. She has skillfully taken over our membership database and successfully organized our first board meeting in Oakland last June. Ms. Skullr will assist our executive director, Dr. Paul Reggiardo, in the organization's dayto-day activities. Ms. Skullr has been an asset to our organization, so we are very fortunate to have her.
The California Dental Association (CDA) has recently sponsored the Interdisciplinary Affairs Forum (IAF) on June 24, 2022, at its headquarters in Sacramento, CA. The IAF is an informational forum that CDA organizes annually to inform all leaders representing their constituents on the different legislation they are working on. It also allows us to ask questions, voice our concerns and advocate for our specialty. After all, CDA has significant lobbying power in the state. One of the major issues was staffing shortages that we are all experiencing. This problem is not unique to pediatric dentistry. All other specialties, including general dentists, share this, which unfortunately is beyond our control. The staffing shortage is affecting our ability to provide good access to oral health care. How is this sustainable? Insurance reimbursements are not keeping up, the costs of our supplies are increasing due to inflation, and patients are tightening their belts due to talk of a recession. All these factors
affect our practices. It is reassuring that CDA is working hard to introduce legislation to help resolve these issues. We at CSPD will be proactive and offer any assistance we can.
On a personal note, this is an exciting time of the year. As a program director, we just welcomed seven new residents to our program. Like all the country's programs, this is a new beginning. The COVID pandemic still rages, but we are determined to continue the way we do things. Life goes on. We stand resilient and creative in the way we teach and educate. Our new residents, who will be our colleagues in a few years, have chosen a career to advocate for children. I hope that we all continue to nurture them in any way we can as they will carry the torch of pediatric dentistry.
In closing, I wish everyone a productive and enjoyable summer! Take care and be well!
CHALLENGE
Dr. MyLinh Ngo - CSPD Managing Editor
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been hearing two really scary words come up way too often lately – and I’ll give you a hint – they are not ‘needle’ or ‘shot’, but rather INFLATION and RECESSION. We have been navigating through unprecedented changes in our world for well over two years, where even the experts who know the most about people and the economy are bewildered by the data and trends they are studying. I actually have a word cloud storming around in my head right now that includes: gas, the Fed, COVID, rising interest rates, Coco3, the great resignation, CPI, variants, yield inversion, and weddings.
Other words like “red-hot labor market” and “employee turnover” make me fantasize that people are actually talking about chewy spicy candy and mini apple pies. Whether you’re a student, new grad, associate or owner dentist, this overload of scary information can cause a little anxiety in all of us. The key to thriving and pushing through this noise is a relentless belief and focus on the basics – people, communication, and systems. There is no better time to pull out all the stops: daily affirmations, inspirational musings, books, mentors, and this Bulletin to stimulate your strategy on how to win. This issue features some great articles that may help you continue to do what it takes to succeed.
"Out of adversity comes opportunity." - Ben Franklin
CSPD STAFF
WELCOME OUR NEW STAFF!
Ms. Diane Skullr - CSPD Operations Manager
Hello and thank you for this occasion to introduce myself.
My name is Diane Skullr, your new part-time Administrative Operations Manager. I am eager to serve the needs of you - the CSPD members, with guidance through the Board of Directors and your Executive Director, Dr. Paul Reggiardo, DDS.
My background is simple to explain. For 11 years, I was the Executive Director for the California Staffing Professionals (CSP). For many years before that, I owned and managed a healthcare staffing firm in southern California, that helped place auxiliary staff in medical and dental offices.
In my career progression, I have added a “D”, from CSP to CSPD and I am happy for it. CSP is a smaller organization and like CSPD, is managed with an all-volunteer board of directors. I worked in all areas of association management to provide support to those volunteers. Whatever project they initiated, I was involved.
My strengths are in member services, data management in YourMembership software, and event services. I am, in my own unique way, organized.
On a personal note, I have 4 fantastic grandchildren, 16, 14, 12, and 10. Three of the four are honor roll students, the 10-year-old missed by a hair. My oldest granddaughter plays competitive travel and high school softball as a pitcher. I enjoy traveling with her to tournaments throughout the country. We just returned from events in both Kansas and Colorado.
I applaud what I have witnessed in the dedication and activity of the CSPD volunteers. This is a wonderful organization and I encourage all of you who have read this so far to reach out and volunteer. You will be glad you did.
A SUMMER MESSAGE FROM THE ANNUAL MEETING COMMITTEE…
Dr. Oariona Lowe - CSPD Past President and Chair of the Annual Meeting & Dr. Mitchell Poiset - CSPD Vice President and Annual Meeting Co-Chair
Join us for camaraderie and jollity as we return to the City by the Bay! Our 2023 Annual Meeting and Scientific Session brings us back to the luxurious Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA. Share with us the ambiance of one of the most fascinating cities in the world and indulge in fine dining and great entertainment.
The Annual Meeting Committee is planning a special academic program designed especially for you! The Biennial Sedation Day course is scheduled on Friday, March 24th and also, by popular demand, is the Second Dental Team Day. The Sedation Day courses will provide attendees with continuing education units for their OCS permit renewals. Courses will include an update on CA regulation and law, addressing SB 501. Listen and learn how the new sedation regulations will affect the way we practice, when offering in-office sedation to our patients. Safety protocols and a course on medical emergencies and airway management will be presented.
Other topics include a review of oral sedation and the essential use of monitoring devices, emphasizing the importance of patient selection. A fun and exciting special session with added humor on “Communication tips with parents, patients, and team members in the dental office” and practice management is being designed for our Dental Team.
A “Strolling Lunch and Learn” in the exhibit hall will take place on Friday. This venue will give attendees the opportunity to listen to the Residents’ research and case study presentations as well as networking with exhibitors to learn about their products. Other presentation topics during the 2-1/2 day academic session include an orthodontic track. This track will address gingival hyperplasia and enamel decalcification resulting from orthodontic treatment with alternative treatment options for orthodontic patients. Lectures on managing and organizing a state -of –the- art healthcare facility for treating Special Needs patients and protocols for identifying and treating Enamel Hypoplasia and Cranio-facial anomalies will also be presented.
In your free time visit the wine country or Sausalito, take a cruise in the Bay, ride the famous cable car, plan a shopping day or visit Golden Gate Park. The City is a hub of cultural diversity and history. Pamper yourself in the evening at a theater or opera performance, listen and relax with some nice jazz entertainment. A variety of exquisite culinary experiences and excellent restaurants await you. Engage in knowledge from an academic experience loaded with CE’s and come to relax. Don’t miss it!
See you in the Spring, March 23-26, 2023 as we Return to the City by the Bay!
MEETING OF THE DENTAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
Dr. Paul Reggiardo - Executive Director
The Dental Board of California met in Garden Grove, CA, May 12- 13, 2022. The following report summarizes actions and issues coming before the Board pertinent to pediatric oral health and practice delivery.
UPDATE REGARDING DENTAL BOARD IMPLEMENTATION OF SB 501
In 2018, Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 501, governing the permitting and administration of minimal, moderate, and deep sedation and general anesthesia in the dental office, effective January 1, 2022. These changes require a new pediatric endorsement and revised monitoring procedures when administering these modalities to a minor dental patient and necessitate a new Pediatric Minimal Sedation permit (replacing the Oral Conscious Sedation permit) to provide minimal sedation to a patient under 13 years of age. Regulations necessary to implement these changes have been repeatedly delayed, and until adopted, the issuance of pediatric endorsements and the issuance of new permits (including the Pediatric Minimal Sedation permit) have been suspended. Final approval and adoption of the regulatory rulemaking package, and implementation of the state’s BreEZe online registration system, together which allow the process to go forward, are now expected by mid-July.
Comment: Delay in the Board’s ability to implement the licensing and permitting provisions of SB 501 has created an accrediting “gap” for new providers as well as impacted renewals. Pediatric dental postdoctoral residents completing training this year are particularly affected by this bureaucratic obstruction, which hampers their ability to obtain professional positions requiring the moderate or minimal sedation permits. With the resolution now expected in July, entry into our specialty will be eased.
COURSES ACCEPTABLE IN LIEU OF PEDIATRIC ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT (PALS)
SB 501, among its provisions, gives the Board the authority to approve for permitting purposes a training standard in lieu of Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), if that training is equivalent or higher than PALS for pediatric dental anesthesia-related emergencies and includes instruction in pediatric life support and airway management. Two years ago, Board staff began working with subject matter experts and legal counsel to develop regulations which would allow this change. The Board, however, has determined it will not introduce alternate training standards, concluding that PALS instruction is evaluated and updated on a recurrent basis and for the Board to have to continually assess and determine if an alternative course meets updated PALS standards would create an undue burden.
The Board, therefore, has chosen to only accept PALS certification, as provided by the American Red Cross (ARC), the American Heart Association (AHA), or the American Safety and Health Institute (ASHI), as being necessary for the issuance and renewal of the pediatric endorsements for the general anesthesia, deep, and moderate sedation permits.
Comment: As a separate matter, the Business and Professions Code §1647.32(e) requires that the operating dentist and a minimum of one additional personnel who are both trained in the monitoring and resuscitation of pediatric patients, as approved by the board, shall be present during the administration of minimal sedation. The Dental Board has confirmed it will accept training in basic life support as fulfilling this requirement. Therefore, the administration of Pediatric Minimal Sedation does not require additional personnel trained in PALS and basic life support is sufficient.
Questions or comments should be directed to Paul Reggiardo, CSPD Executive Director at preggiardo@cspd.org.
BILLS OF INTEREST
Dr. Natalie Mansour - Public Policy Advocate
AB 1982 (SANTIAGO) TELEHEALTH DENTISTRY
Summary: Would require dental benefit plans to disclose to their insured the impact of telehealth encounters offered by thirdparty corporate providers on the patient’s benefit limitations, including visit frequency provisions and the patient’s annual maximum.
Current Text: Amended 6/16/22
CSPD: SUPPORT
STATUS: ACTIVE BILL
COMMENT: The measure is intended to increase plan transparency, allowing patients to make informed decisions regarding telehealth use.
AB 2276 (CARRILLO) DENTAL ASSISTANT SCOPE OF PRACTICE
Summary: Would allow a dental assistant after satisfactory completion of specified training, and under the direct supervision of the dentist, to provide coronal polishing and application of pit and fissure sealants.
Current Text: Amended 4/6/22
CSPD: SUPPORT
STATUS: STALLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
COMMENT: The intent of the legislation is to increase the size of the dental workforce available to perform these two functions. CSPD submitted a letter of support for this bill on March 31st.
SB 652 (BATES) SEDATION PERMITTING AND REGULATION
Summary: As introduced in the first session, it would extend to all patients regardless of age the current requirements under SB 501 (2018) for dental patients under 13 years of age. It is now intended only to be used as necessary to extend the implementation date of SB 501, allowing in the interim issuance of new permits and renewal of the existing permits and permit structure.
Current Text: Amended 5/11/21
CSPD: OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED
STATUS: ACTIVE BILL
COMMENT: The bill would have effectively created one standard for the delivery of deep sedation/general anesthesia in the dental office regardless of the age of the patient. CSPD will hold its position until the bill has been modified or is no longer needed.
SB 889 (OCHOA BOGH) NURSE ANESTHETISTS
Summary: This bill would have allowed a nurse anesthetist to administer general anesthesia or deep sedation to dental patients in the dental setting as directed by a dentist if the nurse anesthetist first received a permit from the Dental Board of California. An additional permit endorsement would be required to administer sedation or anesthesia to a patient seven years or younger.
Current Text: Introduced 1/31/22
CSPD: WATCH
STATUS: STALLED IN LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
COMMENT: The bill stalled secondary to a determination by the Department of Consumer Affairs that dentists without a deep sedation / general anesthesia permit are unable to order or direct administration of sedative drugs by a nurse anesthetist. The California Association of Nurse Anesthetists (sponsors of the bill) may introduce a different or modified proposal next year.
CSPD follows a number of bills under consideration by the state legislature which potentially impact pediatric oral health. Members having questions or wishing to comment on these or any other legislative matters are invited to contact CSPD’s Public Policy Advocate, Dr. Natalie Mansour, at natalie.usc.trojan@gmail.com
CALIFORNIA SOCIETY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
California State Chapter American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
June 21, 2022
The Honorable Dr. Richard Pan Chair, California State Senate Committee on Health 1021 O Street, Room 3310 Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: AB 1982 (Santiago) Telehealth: Dental Care. SUPPORT
Dear Health Committee Chair Dr. Richard Pan:
The California Society of Pediatric Dentistry (CSPD), representing California’s more than 900 pediatric dental providers, educators, and researchers, is in support of the passage of AB 1982 , which would provide insurance plan benefit transparency when patients utilize third-party telehealth dental services.
Last year, the legislature passed, and Gov. Newsome signed, AB 457 which requires health plans and insurers to clearly disclose the impact of third-party telehealth encounters on the patient’s benefit plan limitations, including visit frequency limits and annual benefit maximums. However, dental benefit plans were exempt from the requirements of AB 457, leaving patients (and their parents and care-providers) unable to make truly informed decisions about how best to access their dental services
This bill proposes to remove the existing exclusion of dental providers from benefit plan information disclosure required by medical service plans and insurers under AB 457. Third-party corporate telehealth services are delivered exclusively without maintaining a physical service location. While useful in dentistry to provide advice and recommendations for patients experiencing pain or discomfort until a dentist can be seen, almost no actual care can be provided remotely. Patients need to know if a telehealth conference will impact their benefit limitations or plan maximums before deciding to utilize the service or seek an onsite provider for the care they need.
AB 1982 preserves telehealth dental services, protects and maintains the patient -provider relationship, and enables knowledgeable patient decision making. For these reasons, the California Society of Pediatric Dentistry urges passage of AB 1982 by the Senate Committee on Health
Natalie Mansour, DDS, Public Policy Advocate
Thomas Tanbonliong, DDS, President California Society of Pediatric Dentistry California Society of Pediatric Dentistry
CSPD is the professional membership organization of California’s over 900 pediatric dental providers, educators and researchers. Our members provide primary and specialty oral health care to infants, children and adolescents, with a mission of serving our members and the public by advocating for the optimal oral health of infants, children and adolescents. We are the state unit of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and have been active in state oral health advocacy since our founding in 1975. Our m embers provide nearly a third of all pediatric oral health services in the state and are even more highly involved in services to the very young and to patients with disabilities and special healt h care needs
cc: Assembly Member Miguel Santiago
Members and Consultants, Senate Committee on Health Officers and Directors, California Society of Pediatric Dent istry
Executive Director: Paul Reggiardo, DDS E-mail: preggiardo@cspd.org Tel: (916) 231-2142 Fax: (916) 231-2142
California Society of Pediatric Dentistry PO Box 5081, La Quinta, CA 92248 www.CSPD.org
ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE FOR THE SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS (SHCN) POPULATION
“CDA secures historic state budget wins for dentistry, oral health access” was the headline on CDA News, June 30, 2022.
Included in this year’s California state budget was a request for $50 million to build, and/or expand, existing facilities in order to build a sustainable infrastructure to provide care for dental patients with special health care needs.
Through the overwhelming efforts of California Dental Association advocates, California Society of Pediatric Dentistry volunteers, and their dedicated Executive Director, as well as a coalition of stakeholders throughout California, we have been successful in securing the aforementioned funding, as ratified by Governor Newsom’s signature of the 2022-2023 budget.
As pediatric dentists, we all have experienced the challenge of trying to refer a patient for dental treatment who was unable to be treated in the typical dental setting. Where do we refer the patient? To whom do we send the patient? How soon will the patient be able to be seen? In my professional lifetime, the go-to place was a hospital or surgery center. Not all hospitals have the equipment, nor personnel, required for providing restorative and surgical care for this underserved population. Even if we are on staff at a teaching hospital, or major medical center, the ever-growing backlog of patients means that access to the operating room suites is limited due to the sheer volume of patients in need. This is where the bottleneck exists!
The past two decades has not witnessed any appreciable strides by our healthcare system in alleviating the challenges facing patients requiring hospital dentistry. Other obstacles, such as transportation, funding or language barriers are faced by patients and families…and by extension, the referring dentist.
Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, access to this care has exponentially worsened. Hospitals have been reluctant to give dentists block time in their operating rooms for a myriad of reasons. Poor reimbursement to the facilities for dental cases is one of the reasons. This has become a national problem to the point that the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has made it a top priority in its current legislative agenda to adopt an intense advocacy program targeted at hospitals to assure adequate O.R. time for dental cases involving patients who can be treated in no other arena. Hearing that a patient with a dental condition that should be treated promptly, but an appointment cannot be secured for 18-24 months, is heartbreaking.
Many families are left to their own devices to secure an appointment anywhere possible, even if it is not in a practice accustomed to, nor competent, in treating patients with special healthcare needs. This is simply unacceptable. We now have an opportunity to correct this wrong.
The goal for this funding is to make a strategic investment in infrastructure, either by building new facilities or enhancing an existing facility, to be able to accept this population of patients for dental procedures.
Qualified entities may be able to apply for grants, operated by the California Health facility Financing Authority for up to $5 million and commit to providing a significant percentage of patients with special health care needs for up to ten years.
These grants would create, expand or repurpose ten or more permanent facilities state-wide strategically and geographically located according to greatest need. Developing a state-wide system of care for this population will take the cooperation of many stakeholders. Awardees would need to commit to serving up to 50% of SHCN patients in their facility and be Medical-Dental (previously known as Deni-Cal) providers as well. Failure to meet these requirements would result in forfeiture of the grant. One important aspect of this will be publicawareness of the facility in each community as well as the coordinated efforts of the dental profession, including specialists.
As pediatric dentists, we know firsthand the issue before us (making the appropriate and timely referral for SHCN patients) and our hope is that we now have a good head start to a solution to the challenge. It won’t be easy, but this is a step forward. Let’s all pitch in!
My sincere thanks to all the dedicated advocates on this journey to make this initiative a reality. Especially to the leadership and advocates at CSPD and CDA to advance this cause. Our perseverance, and the alignment of the stars above will reap great benefits for this very underserved population of patients.
Dr. Santos Cortez - Past CSPD President
TREASURER'S ARTICLE
NAVIGATING TURBULENT WATERS
Dr. Gary Sabbadini - CSPD Treasurer
Our country and our world are experiencing some very difficult times. We are struggling to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a war in Ukraine, supply shortages and rising fuel prices are hampering business recovery, inflation is soaring, and there are workforce shortages. CSPD leadership is aware of all these challenges and are doing our best to help keep the organization headed in the right direction. Through the hard work of everyone on the Board, CSPD’s total assets to date ($1,047,000) are up $125,000 over the same period last year.
CSPD is undergoing a change in our management structure and will be transitioning away from our association management company, Smith Moore & Associates. We will be identifying a new accountant and working more closely with our new Administrative Operations Manager, Diane Skullr, to manage the finances and continue to provide valuable membership benefits while striving to keep the membership dues at their current level.
The most recent CSPD Annual Meeting held at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia in Scottsdale, AZ from March 31 – April 3, 2022 was a tremendous success! Our Annual Meeting Chair, Dr. Oariona Lowe and President Elect, Dr. Don Schmitt put together an incredible lineup of speakers that brought all of us back together for the first time in 2 years and resulted in a profitable event. Our Vice President, Dr. Mitch Poiset is already hard at work planning the 2023 CSPD Annual Meeting to be held at the historic Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco from March 23-26, 2023. You won’t want to miss the meeting, so be sure to register early to guarantee your spot and get your hotel room.
The Non-Dues Revenue Committee has completed the CSPD Media Kit to present to companies who are looking to advertise with CSPD. It can be found on the CSPD website under the Advertiser/Sponsors heading. If you work with any companies that may want to advertise with CSPD, please direct them our way.
The Online Continuing Education is continuing to add great content to the site and I encourage all of our members to consider purchasing classes for you and your staff if you need continuing education. Please visit oce.cspd.org if you haven’t already seen the incredible site built and maintained by Drs. Steve Niethamer and Helen Mo.
COST-CONTAINING STRATEGIES
Dr. Gary Sabbadini - CSPD Treasurer
I was asked to offer some suggestions on ways our members can plan for the economic challenges we’re facing and try to reduce office expenses to improve their bottom line. In almost all offices, labor costs are typically the highest percentage of overhead. Consider cross training staff to work in the front and back to make them more versatile and allow the business to continue functioning well if a staff member is out sick or leaves the practice. This may also allow the practice to decrease the number of staff as well. Utilizing part time staff is also another strategy to cut down on overhead, as part time staff typically do not receive the same benefit package as fulltime staff.
It is very important for each owner dentist to understand both the clinical and business side of the office so operations can continue no matter which team member is out sick or leaves the practice. I believe that the owner should review and pay all office bills to have an understanding of the overhead and to help avoid embezzlement. Management should also review all dental and office supply orders to reduce waste and look for lower cost items. Below are some sites that can help reduce some of the expenses incurred while running a dental business:
• www.thesynergydentalpartners.com (Dental buying group founded by dentists)
• www.cda.org/Home/Practice/Endorsed-Services (CDA endorsed companies offering discounts on a variety of services)
• www.uline.com (Bulk office supplies can be purchased here)
• www.dentalofficedeals.com (Delta Dental endorsed companies offering discounts)
• www.net32.com (Site for purchasing dental supplies from a variety of vendors)
• www.usamedicalsupply.org (Can buy a case of Thermoplastic Elastomer Gloves for $55.99 for a case of 3,000 gloves that are great for doing exams)
You may also be able to negotiate discount pricing with your dental supplier as I have done with Pearson Dental Supply www.PearsonDental. com.
If you would like to renegotiate fees with insurance companies and don’t want to do it yourself, here are a few companies that can help with the process: www.unlocktheppo.com and www.apexreimbursement.com Credit card processing fees can eat into profits also, so consider shopping around for different merchant credit card companies. I use Professional Solutions (www.psfs.com/credit-card-processing) and haven’t been able to find a lower fee. If you don’t already own your office space, consider renegotiating or extending your current office lease and take advantage of the downturn in the commercial real estate market.
Much of the dental equipment in the office can be repaired by the dentist or a staff member. One of my favorite sites to purchase repair items is American Dental Accessories www.amerdental.com. They also have instructions and videos that can assist with the repair process.
Many offices employ their children to be models for their office, help with social media, perform minor clerical work, etc. For 2022, you can pay them up to $12,500 without having to pay federal or state taxes on the income. If you’re a sole proprietor, you do not have to pay payroll taxes on that income. If you’re incorporated and earn income that places you in the 35% federal tax bracket, employing your child would save $4,375 in federal taxes. If your CA tax rate is 9.3%, you would save $1,162.50 in state taxes. The cost to the corporation for payroll taxes on $12,500.00 is $1,093.75. Therefore, the total tax savings on that $12,500 salary would be $4,443.75 ($4,375 + $1,162.50 - $1,093.75). Please consult with your tax advisor before implementing any new tax strategies.
I hope you found these suggestions to be helpful for your practice and encourage you to collaborate with your colleagues to find more ways to save money in your office. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at GarySab@comcast.net
The recommendations in this article and the specific products and services cited are those of the author and not of the California Society of Pediatric Dentistry. CSPD neither endorses nor proposes the strategies, products, and services contained in the article. Dr. Sabbadini reports no conflict of interest or personal financial interest in any of the products or services recommended.
GETTING INVOLVED WITH CSPD
Dr. Danielle Goodman - Leadership Development Chair
Have you always wanted to get involved with CSPD but didn’t know how to get started? We are always looking for new volunteers to strengthen our organization. We are only able to achieve all of our incredible accomplishments with the help of our dedicated member volunteers.
CSPD is a volunteer-led organization in continuous need of enthusiastic, dedicated volunteer leaders willing to help support the profession of pediatric dentistry and meet our organization’s vision of optimal oral health for California’s pediatric population.
Whether you have volunteered with other organizations or this is your first time, you could make a difference in CSPD. If you are new to CSPD leadership, I would recommend starting at the committee level. As a committee member, you would work closely with the committee chair and other members of the committee to address the specific charges of that committee. As you get more comfortable within CSPD leadership, you could express interest in serving as the chair of a committee. Unless otherwise specified, committee chairs, committee members-at-large, and consultants are appointed by the President-Elect, and confirmed by the Board of Directors, to serve the following year. In addition to thirteen standing committees, the President-Elect can also create and maintain existing special purpose Ad-Hoc Committees and would appoint the chair and members as well.
CSPD governance is overseen by the Officers and Board of Directors which is composed of 17 members: the President and Immediate Past President, four annually elected officers (President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer), eight elected Directors (North/South), and the appointed Managing Publications Editor, Website Editor, and Public Policy Advocate. To apply to serve on the Board of Directors, an application is available on the CSPD website (https://www.cspd.org/ page/VolunteerLeadership). Applications are due November 30, 2022. All applications are reviewed by the Nominating Committee, which creates a slate of nominees to be voted on by the membership at the next Annual Business Meeting. Directors serve a two-year term and can serve up to three consecutive terms.
If you are a resident or newly graduated from residency, please consider applying for one of our internships: the Warren Brandli Leadership Internship (residents and recent graduates eligible) and the Santos Cortez Graduate Student Legislative Advocacy (GSLA) Program (residents only).
For more information on the different committees as well as the internship opportunities, please visit our website and look for our new Leadership Development Committee Membership User Manual. If you have any questions or are interested in getting involved, please contact Dr. Danielle Goodman, 2022-2023 Leadership Development Committee Chair, (dgoodman26@gmail.com), Dr. Don Schmitt, CSPD PresidentElect, (dschmitt425@gmail.com), or Dr. Paul Reggiardo, CSPD’s Executive Director (preggiardo@cspd.org). We look forward to seeing some new faces getting involved with CSPD!
CREATING POSITIVE CULTURES AS LEADERS
COVID-19 has upended dentistry in many ways we could not anticipate. And with all the adjustments needed to be made, we’ve witnessed a multitude of obstacles in our practices, including overworked staff, intolerable patients, and indented skin marks from continuous N95 facemask use. With these types of issues, it’s easy for staff members to come to work feeling unmotivated and strained. Low morale and excessive stress can easily lead to a gloomy culture, whether it’s private practice, community health, or academia. How can we as leaders keep our staff motivated to perform their best work?
Empathy - This is probably the most important gadget in our leadership toolkit. We don’t listen as much as we should (and we should, given that we have two ears and one mouth). Good leaders take time to understand what’s happening around them. They listen and engage with others to make decisions that benefit the group as a whole. Besides yourself, it’s your team that makes the unit function effectively. You need a team that isn’t afraid to share the issues at hand and provide creative solutions. A simple example of letting your team know that you care and take them seriously is holding regular meetings and opening the floor for issues, requests, and solutions. Some individuals may not feel comfortable in voicing opinions, so reaching out personally would be beneficial. Ultimately, staff members want to feel safe and supported, and by practicing empathy we can empower others and thus, mobilize them to carry out our goals and mission.
Communicate intentionally - As critical as it is to really listen to those around you, it is as important to periodically communicate your expectations and goals for your practice or organization. Regularly sharing your vision and mission during team meetings or one-on-one conversations is an effective way in maintaining your team’s sense of purpose. It is also essential to periodically show appreciation for your staff. Recognizing those who go the extra mile is a sure way to spark motivation and cultivate loyalty. An easy example of sharing your goals with the team is organizing outings
such as community volunteering or professional development workshops. To show appreciation, regularly take them out to dinner or sporting events. These types of activities show that you value their relationship and service. Communicating effectively is key to ensuring your organization’s expectations and goals are met.
Take care of yourself - Finally, as important as it is to take care of your people, you need to ask yourself if you’re taking enough time for yourself. Self-awareness is critical for ensuring you can lead others effectively. Are you regularly reflecting on your own goals and priorities? Are you taking care of your physical health (e.g., exercise, eating right)? Are you satisfied with your personal life (e.g., family, social, or spiritual life)? Are you making efforts to share your time and expertise in other ways besides your primary work (e.g., volunteering, community service, organizational dentistry)? Maintaining a well-balanced lifestyle is important for both physical and mental health, which ultimately strengthens our leadership abilities. By managing ourselves first, we can then empower others to perform their best work.
Remember, if you prioritize your people, trust develops and your team will be more eager to fulfill their duties. Along with managing others, we must take care of ourselves. I’ve found that the three aspects listed above apply to all areas of life outside of dentistry. My hope is that we can continue to bring out the leaders within ourselves and create positive cultures with empathy, intention, and self-awareness.
Dr. Michael Suh - CSPD Board Director North
FEATURED ARTICLE
WSPD PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
CSPD IS A MODEL OF PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP
Dr. Bri Butler - WSPD President
Organized dentistry has always been a passion of mine. I remember my first lobby day at my state capital as a dental student 14 years ago and being so impressed by the collective voice of my fellow students and future colleagues. Since that time, I have continued to lobby for our profession and specialty at the state and national level. I served on my state’s executive committee for four years and continue to serve as a legislative liaison for WSPD. I have been a WSPD Trustee for three years, and as an officer and member of the Executive Committee, I have learned how WSPD can best serve its members. I also am a member of Washington State Dental Association’s Medicaid Task Force so I can be well informed on Medicaid reimbursement issues and bring that information to our specialty organizations.
I remember being in awe of CSPD when I attended AAPD’s first Chapter Leadership summit five years ago. While I was President of the Washington State Academy of Pediatric Dentistry I was especially impressed by the size, organization, and fervor of CSPD. At the time, Washington had only one committee with four people in it while CSPD had multiple committees with multiple members. They all seemed to be dedicated to supporting our profession, patients and their families. Leaders in Washington took note of CSPD’s strength. Washington State Academy of Pediatric Dentistry now has multiple committees and has increased its yearly CE offerings.
In the way that CSPD served as an example to Washington State, WSPD would like to be a model for the less organized states in our orbit. With this in mind WSPD has strived to provide larger scale leadership opportunities to those WSPD members of smaller states. The election of Dr. Rob McApline (Alaska) to WSPD Vice President is an example of the success of our efforts. By working together and communicating about our respective organizations, legislative issues, and past and present challenges, our states learn from each other’s experiences and make the entire profession stronger for our patients. Building on this foundation will be my charge as your WSPD president for the next year.
I will also do my part to make sure that parents will get the right information to make choices concerning the oral health of their children. The WSPD Board of Trustees has made it their policy to oppose changes to AAPD bylaws that could lead to public confusion about who is a specialist and who is not. I am referring to the charge to the AAPD Affiliate Advisory Committee that a program be devised to provide “acknowledgement” to general dentist members of our professional organization. Implementation of this charge would likely require a change in AAPD bylaws so that general dentist members could use the “academy name, logo, [disclose their] membership status or imply special expertise or training”. Our bylaws currently prohibit these activities if the member is not a pediatric dentist. WSPD is not opposed to providing continuing education to general dentists members of AAPD. WSPD will be updating its membership on new developments regarding this proposal soon.
Many thanks to CSPD for modeling such a great state organization. As WSPD President, I hope to collaborate with CSPD to enhance their activities in the year to come.
LOMA LINDA INCOMING RESIDENTS
Cheryl Engineer Bhatt, DDS
Dr. Bhatt completed her dental school in India at Manubhai Patel Dental College in 2011. She has a Masters in Public Health in Epidemiology and worked at the Department of Public Health of Broward County, Florida as an Operation Review Specialist. After Buffalo Dental School, she worked in a Bakersfield private practice serving Medi-Cal patients under 21 years of age. She gained 5 years of experience working and is now starting her pediatric residency program.
Houman Mizani, DDS
Dr. Mizani graduated from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in May 2022. His passion for pediatric dentistry developed a couple of years before he started dental school while participating in a mission trip. He therefore decided to continue his education in pediatric dentistry at Loma Linda University. After graduation, he plans to work in a private practice in Southern California. On his free time, he enjoys traveling, camping, fishing, and flying.
Justin Im, DDS
Dr. Im graduated from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in May 2021. Following graduation, he moved to New York City and completed a one-year general practice residency at St. Barnabas Hospital. He developed a passion working with children throughout dental school and in various mission trips which led him to continue his training in pediatric dentistry at Loma Linda. Dr. Im enjoys playing sports such as basketball, golf and cycling.
Alina Ricalde, DDS
Dr. Ricalde graduated from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in May 2022. She has worked with children for many years, from teaching swimming lessons in her home country, Canada, to being a Special Olympics swim coach. She looks forward to participating in the mission trips and outreach clinics at Loma Linda, while being involved in research. She enjoys helping her husband in Youth Ministries, baking, and playing with her cats, Daisy and Hamilton.
Check out future CSPD Bulletin issues as we welcome the other incoming residents in California!
PLANNING YOUR WAY TO VICTORY - A GUIDE FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING
Erika began her dental career in 2009 as a dental assistant and now leads a team of 50 in a single location, multi-specialty practice in Florida. She received her AADOM Mastership designation in 2021.
Who here likes to win? Great! If you’re a high-achieving, high-performing office, your practice manager needs to have their hand up high! Those who fail often skip the most important step: the time and effort it takes to prepare for the win! Think about a professional athlete. Do they roll out of bed, slip on their tennis shoes and step on the court the day of the game? Well, yes, they do that too! The question really is, what do they do during the days leading up to the game? They set clear performance goals, train, practice, evaluate their past performance, consult with their coaches, and measure their progress. The amount of time and effort spent preparing is proportional to the level of results achieved.
The first step for a professional practice manager to get a win is to properly prepare for the win. Begin with an annual strategic planning meeting with the practice owner/doctor. This will provide a vital step in aligning expectations and responsibilities shared within the practice. Be sure to meet at least quarterly to check-in and follow up on the progress you’ve made towards the projects and goals set.
If you don’t know how to start or create the plan for this meeting, I have your back! Use this guide as your secret weapon! Below is your bulletproof strategic plan template.
Vision/Mission/Values
• Revisit your office vision, mission, and values. Everything your office plans to accomplish should be reflected in the vision, mission, and values of the practice. This is like the destination point on a map, keeping the practice headed in the right direction.
• Does your team know the office vision, mission and values? Do they align with them? Provide a solution if your team has outgrown them.
• Have the team brainstorm ideas and revise the vision, mission, and values together. Or have the Doctor/Office Manager (OM) rewrite the vision, mission and values together at the meeting.
• How are you going to keep these values alive and present? How are you going to incorporate them into your decision making? For example: our bonus system has our core values written on the back of our bonus scorecard.
• Another example is our Team Member of the Month program. In order to nominate a team member of the month, the person nominating must give an example of how the person they’re nominating is living out one of our core values.
• Our vision and mission statement is the banner photo on our private FB team page; framed and posted throughout the office for our patients and team to see.
Highlight The Year Prior
• What worked well?
• Any new systems in place yielding results? (Provide numbers if applicable to support)
• What needs improvement? What are your solutions?
Review The Year Prior KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
• What are your current YTD collections compared to last year?
• What contributed to the increase or decrease?
• New providers, less providers?
• Fee schedule increase?
• More patient visits?
• Fewer patient visits but higher production per visit?
Erika Pusillo - Practice Optimizer at Spodak Dental Group
Set a New Collection Target for the Upcoming Year
• What do you need to achieve that goal? Do you need to hire more providers? Increase UCR fee schedule? See more patients (if the schedule is light), see fewer in-network (INN) patients?
• Number of new patients (NPs) fee-for-service (FFS) or insurance by month.
• What is the trend? If you are going out of network, the number of FFS NPs should be increasing and your INN NP count should be decreasing.
• Patient attrition (net patient growth). How many NPs are coming in versus the number of patients going into the inactive category? Example: If you have two NPs and three patients move to the inactive category, your net patient growth is -1.
• Treatment acceptance month to month and year to year. Is there a positive or negative change? What could be causing that change?
• What solutions do you have to improve? Treatment acceptance training? Hire additional Treatment coordinators?
• What is the current practice profit? What are your profit targets for next year?
• What other stats has your practice been tracking? What has been the performance? What is contributing to the results?
Budget
Review projected budget for the upcoming year:
• New uniforms?
• Special events?
• Charities/donations?
• Supplies?
• New equipment?
Bonus System for the Upcoming Year
• Are you creating one?
• Are you updating an existing one?
• What are your thoughts, suggestions, and solutions? Marketing
• Review marketing goals and your overall marketing strategy.
• Do you have any new videos to complete? (Using your iPhone is one of the best ways to get marketing videos. Patients care more about authenticity than they do about a highly polished, produced video).
• How is your office presence on social media networks?
• How long has it been since you made updates to the website?
• Is your website mobile-friendly?
• Is your Meet the Team page updated and accurate?
Scheduling
Do you need to make any changes to the way your office schedules? Are all providers keeping the same work days and hours next year?
• Are you anticipating any changes, i.e. adding more or fewer providers to the schedule?
• Goals for the upcoming year:
• Do you have any big projects in the future?
• Any upgrades to the office? Acquiring a new office? Hiring new team members? What are your suggestions about how to prioritize what needs to be done?
If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, that’s understandable. Preparing for a win is hard work. Creating this strategic plan should take you a number of hours. Don’t rush through it and ask for help or feedback from your team. The best advice I can give you is to select your top three or four goals for the upcoming year and really focus on them. It is so easy to be excited and ambitious, but if you don’t set priorities, you may be easily distracted and not achieve anything.
“Everyone has a will to win but very few have the will to prepare to win.” - Vince Lombardi
Reprinted with permission from the American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM), copyright August 2022.
AAPD 2021-2022: A PRODUCTIVE YEAR
Dr. Jonathon Lee - 11th AAPD Western District Trustee
It has been a productive year for AAPD, and "[n]ow that we have had a few weeks to reflect on AAPD San Diego 2022, we can truly say that it was one epic annual meeting! We celebrated AAPD's 75th Anniversary in extraordinary fashion!
Between the most fantastic block party in San Diego's Gaslamp to the most outstanding lectures and the Hamilton performers making a surprise debut, no one will soon forget this meeting!"
Check Out the Link for the Video Highlights! https://vimeo.com/720423384
The total registration for AAPD 2022 was 5,508!
Save the date for May 25-28, 2023, in Orlando because AAPD will be working to top AAPD 2022 next year!
Final AAPD Reports
Final Reports of the Officers, Trustees, Councils, and Committees of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry for the Academy Year July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022, have been published and can be found here: https://www. aapd.org/globalassets/aapd-annual-reports-2022.pdf
Our AAPD District Pediatric Dentist Active and Life Members have expressed interest in the Report of the Affiliate Advisory Committee and the committee development of an "Affiliate Track." The full report can be found under the Committee's Standing Charge 2, located in the link above. Here is part of the report.
"The Committee brought to the BOT at the ad-interim meeting, the idea of the development of a plan for an "Affiliate Track". The program would allow Affiliate Members to complete pre-defined activities to earn acknowledgement upon completion. The idea was not unanimously accepted, but after some "lively" discussion, there was consensus that the Committee would work on developing an "Affiliate Track Program" and present the proposed track at the 2022 Winter Planning Meeting.
Post ad-interim BOT meeting, there were discussions with members from various districts, BOT members, and Executive Committee members
to get some direction as to components of the program that might be agreeable to all. Because of the extra time spent in discussions trying to find common ground for the program, there was not sufficient time to develop a comprehensive program to present. The Committee asked and was granted an extension to present the program framework at the Annual Session in May of 2023."
After-Action Minutes of the May 24 and 29, 2022 AAPD Board of Trustees Meetings
The Minutes of May 24, 2022, and May 29, 2022 meetings of the AAPD Board of Trustees are now public and have been posted in the Governance section of the Member Resources page of the AAPD website (https://www.aapd. org/resources/member/governance/).
https://www.aapd.org/globalassets/2022-0524-2021-22-board-minutes.pdf
https://www.aapd.org/globalassets/2022-0529-2022-23board-minutes.pdf
As noted above, for the interest of our AAPD District Pediatric Dentist Active and Life Members who have expressed interest in the Report of the Affiliate Advisory Committee and the committee development of an "Affiliate Track" in the Minutes of May 24, 2022, is Action Item #3 regarding Affiliate Membership.
To accept the report to the board from the Affiliate Member Trustee and the Affiliate Advisory Committee.
Discussion points:
• The Affiliate Advisory Committee requests that the Board of Trustees consider allowing the Affiliate Members of the AAPD to be able to state that they are "General Dentist Members of the AAPD".
• History:
• In 2002, when the AAPD merged with ASDC, AAPD accepted the ASDC General Dentist members along with the Pediatric Dentists.
• Warren Brill created a task force; the emphasis for the task force was on making it possible for General Dentists to better serve children.
• Seventy percent (70%) of this nation's children are treated by General Dentists.
• AAPD needs the General Dentists to be fully informed about AAPD best practices.
• The request from the Committee was about education and knowledge for the General Dentists - Who could be better than AAPD to teach and mentor?
• General Dentist membership helps AAPD enforce advertising practices.
• AAPD has no influence over advertising practices of nonmembers.
• Dental boards have no interest - they're understaffed and overwhelmed, like everyone else in the country.
• However, AAPD can order compliance with advertising practices.
• Any time AAPD has brought advertising practices to the attention of a General Dentist member, there has been no pushback - they have apologized and fixed what was wrong.
• General Dentist members are not here to compete.
• They know Pediatric Dentists are the specialists.
• They know that you are here to help them train.
• They are here to learn how best to provide optimal health care for all children.
• General Dentist membership is not a dues-revenue decision.
• The key point is to have one voice as the authority on children's oral health.
• The Affiliate Member request is a work in process; they intend to get input from a wide variety of entities; they will not be producing a report or action without input from the Pediatric Dentist members.
As noted above, for the interest of our AAPD District Pediatric Dentist Active and Life Members who have expressed interest in the Report of the Affiliate Advisory Committee and the committee development of an "Affiliate Track" in the Minutes of May 29, 2022, is Action Item #3 regarding Affiliate Membership.
To delete Affiliate Advisory Committee project charge, which specifically states, "Explore ideas for Affiliate Member recognition within AAPD including criteria and potential name for the program."
Discussion points:
• To clarify: The Committee wants to continue exploring options but to do it under their existing charges.
Minutes of the May 29 2022 AAPD General Assembly
The General Assembly minutes are now public, and have been in the Governance section of the Member Resources page of the AAPD website (https://www. aapd.org/resources/member/governance/).
https://www.aapd.org/globalassets/2022-generalassembly-minutes.pdf
Appointments to the Pediatric Oral Health Research and Policy Center Safety Committee
The AAPD BOT has approved the appointments of Dr. Jean Marie Calvo as a member and Dr. Jessica Y. Lee as an expert consultant to the Pediatric Oral Health Research and Policy Center (POHRPC) Safety Committee.
Thank You, it has been a pleasure serving as your Elected Trustee this past year.
WEBSITE NOTES
WEBSITE NOTES
Dr. Steven Niethamer - Website
Editor
Annual Meeting Programs are now added to OCE! Check out the Discounts!
This year CSPD OCE faced an unexpected challenge and was “forced” to make some changes in the way they produce these educational programs. As a result, the format of the videos is a little different from the previous years. With the help of all our OCE subcommittee members, the audio and video quality are excellent and generally prove to be a good alternative to past projects.
All the meeting programs are added to the OCE library and available to purchase individually or in the 20% off Annual Meeting Discounted Package. Go to the OCE website, CE Series/Annual Meeting TAB to find the latest specials.
Currently, buying all the annual meeting programs individually would add up to $515. Buying all 8 annual meeting programs together for 20% off or only $412 would save you $103. If you attended the annual meeting and want to listen to these lectures again, OCE offers you a huge 50% off or $258 price, if you use the coupon “AM50%Off” on check out. (We know who you are…)
Programs include:
• Dr. Joel Berg - "Medical Management of Dental Caries: The Most Disruptive Trend in Dentistry
• Dr. Eyal Simchi - "Behavior Management"
• Dr. Purnima Hernandez - "Self-care for Healthcare ProfessionalsThe Wellness Paradigm"
• Dr. Michael Swetye - "Pediatric Mental Health"
• Dr. Wanda Claro - “Interceptive Orthodontics”
• Dr. Randy Lout - “Substance Abuse in Adolescents”
• Mr. Sam Munakl - “Cyber Security: Ransomware: Prevention, Protection and Education”
• Dr. Juan Yepes - “Pediatric Oral Radiology: From Radiation Safety to Lesions and CBCT”
As you all know, learning on-line has great advantages to attending a live lecture. Viewers can wear comfortable clothing, stop for a break at any time, go back to repeat a section, set it aside for viewing at later time and move
ahead past break periods as needed. You and your staff can sign up to take courses at any time without the added expense of closing the office, travel by car or plane, extra meals and lodging. OCE programs are A BIG DEAL that saves you money!
This is a Super Busy Time for the Website
The time after the annual meeting is always busy for the website editor. New leadership information must be collected and changed. Committee chairs and members must be updated. In addition, this year our previous management company has left CSPD, so the staff and leadership must do what this company was previously delegated. Throughout the website, SMA employees must be removed and replaced with our new Operations Operator’s name, Ms. Diane Skullr (Welcome to CSPD, Diane!). All the out-of-date addresses and phone numbers must be found and changed.
The CSPD is lucky that, at least for now, the CSPD website and the membership database are still intact in the software program now owned by Your Membership (YM). CSPD was able to move this software away from our past management company, SMA, in total. Your CSPD staff will be sorting through this database to make sure everyone’s information is up to date. Be assured that there will be attempts to fully use these complicated YM programs. Some of these will work and some will not.
CSPD members, please help us by signing into your website personal account and visiting your “My Profile” to update your information. With a little help from our professional family, CSPD’s OCE and staff will meet these challenges and continue to provide the best membership value.
BOARD MOTIONS
MOTION 2022.06.25.01 (NGO): Move to approve the minutes of the March 31, 2022, and April 3, 2022, meetings of the Board of Directors as submitted. MOTION CARRIED
MOTION 2022.06.25.03 (SCHMITT): Move to continue a Support position on AB 1982. MOTION CARRIED
MOTION 2022.06.25.04 (SCHMITT): Move to maintain current position Oppose Unless Amended SB 652. MOTION CARRIED
MOTION 2022.06.25.05 (SABBADINI): Move the CSPD Board approve the FY 2022-2023 proposed budget as presented by the Finance Committee. MOTION CARRIED
MOTION 2022.06.25.06 (SABBADINI): Move to approve a change to the CSPD Policy & Procedures as follows:
The registration fee for post-doctoral student members of CSPD and WSPD shall be set at $100.00. It shall include all continuing education offerings (other than those with a separate tuition), planned meals and meal
breaks (including the installation luncheon or equivalent) and social events (including the welcome reception and farewell dinner or equivalents) contained in the general (Active Member) registration…
The registration fees for other all categories of membership shall be at the discretion of the Annual Meeting Committee.”
MOTION WITHDRAWN
MOTION 22.06.25.08 (PHAM): Move that CSPD provide live Continuing Dental Education by webinar on the subject of Medical Emergencies and Sedation Safety for the Dental Team in January 2023 [as requested in the report of the Patient Services Committee]. MOTION CARRIED
MOTION 22.06.25.09 (DOROSTKAR): Move that CSPD provide option to allocate all or part of reimbursable expenses (including per diem) as donation to the CSPD Foundation when making expense reimbursement requests. MOTION CARRIED
IN MEMORIAM
DONALD FRANCIS DUPERON
Dr. Donald Duperon, 84, of Rancho Palos Verdes passed away peacefully surrounded by family on May 29, 2022. He died following four years of lung cancer treatment.
Don was a loving and devoted husband, father, and friend and will always be remembered for his sense of humor, quick wit, warmth, and intellect. He was an active member of St. John Fisher Church, South Bay Coastliners Barbershop Chorus, served as the president of Grandes Companeros (a ballroom dancing club) as well as being a longtime supporter of the Palos Verdes Art Center.
Born 1937 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, Don immigrated with his family to California in 1974 after being recruited to UCLA’s pediatric dental department.
Dr. D, as he was known by his students, had a long and distinguished career as a professor of Pediatric Dentistry at UCLA. He was an inspiration to thousands of dental students and residents over his 45-year career at UCLA.
Dr. Oariona Lowe made a generous gift to renovate UCLA’s Pediatric Dentistry Clinic Lounge and named it after him in honor of her mentor and friend. He will be remembered by his students as a mentor, a compassionate health provider, an intellect, an expert in his field and, to many, a friend.
Don, being a Renaissance man, not only was an expert in his profession but he generally mastered his hobbies as well. From becoming a black belt in karate, winning a gold medal in the Senior Olympics (karate), a radio-controlled glider pilot, barbershop singer, tap dancer, saxophonist, scuba diver, sailor, motorcycle rider, car enthusiast – he would dive deep into each hobby until mastered. He was lovingly called an overachiever by one of his closest friends. Don and Donna had many wonderful adventures traveling throughout the world together. Don as a professional speaker, and Donna traveled to Mexico City, Brazil and Taiwan. They also enjoyed traveling for leisure to Africa, Mexico, France, Italy, Panama, Hawaii, the Caribbean and China embracing the sights, sounds and cultures and making some life-long friends along the way.
He will be deeply missed by his beloved wife of almost 62 years, Donna Duperon, daughters Lori Duperon, Mona Copland (Mark), grandson, Conor Neal and his faithful dog, Georgia.
CALIFORNIA SOCIETY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
CSPD LEADERSHIP
Full list of committee members is located at www.cspd.org.
OFFICERS
President: Dr. Thomas Tanbonliong
President-Elect: Dr. Donald Schmitt
Vice President: Dr. Mitchell Poiset
Secretary: Dr. MyLinh Ngo
Treasurer: Dr. Gary Sabbadini
Immed. Past President: Dr. Nancy Hsieh
DIRECTORS
North (2021-23): Dr. Helen Mo
North (2021-23): Dr. Amber Nierode
North (2022-24): Dr. Michael Suh
North (2022-24): Dr. Natalie Vander Kam
South (2021-23): Dr. Leslie Butler
South (2021-23): Dr. Catherine Pham
South (2022-24): Dr. John Guijon
South (2022-24): Dr. Dora Lee
APPOINTED OFFICERS
Managing Editor: Dr. MyLinh Ngo
Website Editor: Dr. Steve Niethamer
Public Policy Advocate: Dr. Natalie Mansour
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dr. Paul Reggiardo
WARREN BRANDLI LEADERSHIP INTERNS
Dr. Amanda Effat (NYU San Diego)
Dr. Pardis Lipkin (UCSF)
Dr. Jessica Vargas (UCLA)
SANTOS CORTEZ GRADUATE STUDENT LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY INTERNS
Dr. Rebecca Renelus (UCSF)
CONTACTS & LIAISONS
AAPD Western District Trustee: Dr. Jonathon Lee
AAPD Liaison: Dr. Catherine Pham
WSPD Liaison: Dr. Catherine Pham
Annual Meeting Sponsor Relations Liaison: Dr. Leslie Butler
California Dental Society of Anesthesiology Liaison: Dr. Dave Rothman
CSPD Foundation President: Dr. Rebecca Lee
CSPD Foundation Liaison: Dr. Gila Dorostkar
Consultant – Legislative Affairs: Dr. Santos Cortez Consultant – Dental Board California: Dr. Paul Reggiardo
CSPD VOTING MEMBERS TO THE WSPD BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Dr. Thomas Tanbonliong
Dr. Donald Schmitt
Dr. Mitchell Poiset
Dr. Catherine Pham
STAFF
Administratice Operations Manager: Diane Skullr
UPCOMING CONFERENCES
March 23-26, 2023
2023 CSPD Annual Meeting
Fairmont San Francisco San Francisco, CA
March 21-24, 2024
2024 CSPD Annual Meeting
JW Marriott Desert Springs Palm Desert, CA
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Executive Committee: Dr. Tom Tanbonliong
Governance and Administrative Review: Dr. Gila Dorostkar
Executive Director Evaluation: Dr. Tom Tanbonliong
Membership Services: Dr. MyLinh Ngo
Online Continuing Education
Subcommittee: Dr. Helen Mo
Nominations: Dr. Tom Tanbonliong
Annual Meeting: Dr. Oariona Lowe
Finance: Dr. Gary Sabbadini
Patient Services: Dr. Catherine Pham
Leadership Development: Dr. Danielle Goodman
Audit: Dr. Eddie So
Communications: Dr. Chanel McCreedy
Social Media Subcommittee: Dr. Shukan Kanuga
Constitution and By-Laws: Dr. John Guijon
Academic Programs: Dr. Wai-Lin Chan
Strategic Planning: Dr. Donald Schmitt
Government & Legislative Affairs: Dr. Natalie Mansour
Early Career Pediatric Dentist: Dr. Evan Chang
Continuing Education: Dr. Jean Calvo
Non-Dues Revenue: Dr. Gary Sabbadini
CSPD PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Have you been thinking about hiring an associate, but just aren't sure where to look? Or are you finishing your residency soon, and aren't sure where you'd like to live and practice?
The answer is right on the CSPD website. To look at these opportunities and others, go to www.cspd.org
• Opportunities Wanted
• Opportunities Available
• Faculty Positions Available
• Practices for Sale
