Anesthesia Education & Safety Foundation
Two ways to register: Call us at 214-384-0796 or e-mail us at sedationce@aol.com Visit us on the web: www.sedationce.com
NOW Available: In-Office ACLS & PALS renewals; In-Office Emergency Program Live Programs Available Throughout Texas
Two ways to Register for our Continuing Education Programs: e-mail us at sedationce@aol.com or call us at 214-384-0796
OUR GOAL: To teach safe and effective anesthesia techniques and management of medical emergencies in an understandable manner. WHO WE ARE: We are licensed and practicing dentists in Texas who understand your needs, having provided anesthesia continuing education courses for 34 years. The new anesthesia guidelines were recently approved by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. As practicing dental anesthesiologists and educators, we have established continuing education programs to meet these needs.
New TSBDE Requirement of Pain Management
Two programs available (satisfies rules 104.1 and 111.1)
Live Webcast (counts as in-class CE) or Online (at your convenience)
All programs can be taken individually or with a special discount pricing (ask Dr. Canfield) for a bundle of 2 programs:
Principles of Pain Management
Fulfills rule 104.1 for all practitioners
Use and Abuse of Prescription M edications and Provider Prescription Program Fulfills rules 104.1 and 111.1
SEDATION & EMERGENCY PROGRAMS:
Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Conscious Sedation Course for Dentists:
Credit: 18 hours lecture/participation (you must complete the online portion prior to the clinical part)
Level 1 Initial Minimal Sedation Permit Courses:
*Hybrid program consisting of Live Lecture and online combination
Credit: 20 hours lecture with 20 clinical experiences
SEDATION REPERMIT PROGRAMS: LEVELS 1 and 2
(ONLINE, LIVE WEBCAST AND IN CLASS)
ONLINE LEVEL 3 AND 4 SEDATION REPERMIT AVAILABLE! (Parenteral Review) Level 3 or Level 4 Anesthesia Programs (In Class, Webcast and Online available):
American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Initial and Renewal Programs
NOTE: ACLS or PALS Renewal can be completed by itself at any combined program Combined ACLS-PALS-BLS and Level 2, 3 and 4
Program
WEBCASTING and ONLINE RENEWALS AVAILABLE! Live and archived webcasting to your computer in the comfort of your home. Here are the distinct advantages of the webcast (contact us at 214-384-0796 to see which courses are available for webcast):
1. You can receive continuing education credit for simultaneous live lecture CE hours.
2. There is no need to travel to the program location. You can stay at home or in your office to view and listen to the course.
3. There may be a post-test after the online course concludes, so you will receive immediate CE credit for attendance
4. With the webcast, you can enjoy real-time interaction with the course instructor, utilizing a question and answer format
OUR MISSION STATEMENT: To provide affordable, quality anesthesia education with knowledgeable and experienced instructors, both in a clinical and academic manner while being a valuable resource to the practitioner after the programs. Courses are designed to meet the needs of the dental profession at all levels.
Our continuing education programs fulfill the TSBDE Rule 110 practitioner requirement in the process to obtain selected Sedation permits. AGD Codes for all programs: 341 Anesthesia & Pain Control; 342 Conscious Sedation; 343 Oral Sedation This is only a partial listing of sedation courses. Please consult our www.sedationce.com for updates and new programs. Two ways to Register: e-mail us at sedationce@aol.com or call us at 214-384-0796
JKJ Pathology
Oral Pathology Laboratory
John E Kacher, DDS
¥ Available for consultation by phone or email
¥ Color histology images on all reports
¥ Expedited specimen shipping with tracking numbers
¥ Reports available online through secure web interface
Professional, reliable service with hightechnology solutions so that you can better serve your patients. Call or email for free kits or consultation.
jkjpathology.com 281-292-7954 (T) 281-292-7372 (F) johnkacher@jkjpathology.com
PRESIDENT Elizabeth Goldman, DDS 214-585-0268, texasredbuddental@gmail.com
PRESIDENT-ELECT Susan Jolliff, DDS 325-597-7441, ladydds13@gmail.com
PAST PRESIDENT Glen D. Hall, DDS 325-698-7560, abdent78@gmail.com
VICE PRESIDENT, SOUTHWEST Austin Lee, DMD 210-496-1919, austinvincentlee@gmail.com
VICE PRESIDENT, NORTHWEST Annie C. Wilson, DDS 713-626-8843, annie@anniewilsondds.com
VICE PRESIDENT, NORTHEAST Shane A. Ricci, DDS 972-381-1888, riccidds@hotmail.com
VICE PRESIDENT, SOUTHEAST Ron Hill, DDS 713-626-8343, rhilldds@gmail.com
SENIOR DIRECTOR, SOUTHWEST Kenneth Gonzales, DDS 361-992-2421, bikerdent@yahoo.com
SENIOR DIRECTOR, NORTHWEST Kevin Altieri, DDS 817-294-5513/817-991-1835, altdent@yahoo.com
SENIOR DIRECTOR, NORTHEAST Celeste Latham, DDS 214-351-1500, drclatham@yahoo.com
SENIOR DIRECTOR, SOUTHEAST Jennifer Hathaway, DDS 979-776-6884, jp.hathaway@yahoo.com
DIRECTOR, SOUTHWEST Susan Putthoff, DDS 830-896-6264, putthoffsusan@yahoo.com
DIRECTOR, NORTHWEST Georgia Mitchell, DMD 806-221-2240, gmitchelldmd@gmail.com
DIRECTOR, NORTHEAST Corbin Gatlin, DDS 254-399-9925, corbingatlindds@gmail.com
DIRECTOR, SOUTHEAST Meredith Overstreet, DDS 512-442-1555, moverstreetdds@gmail.com
SECRETARY-TREASURER* Oshmi Dutta, DDS 210-888-0700, odutta@gmail.com
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE* Gregory W. Rashall, DDS 936-336-5171, rashdent@sbcglobal.net
PARLIAMENTARIAN** Rob Neal, DDS 972-377-7333, robertnealdds@gmail.com
EDITOR** Jacqueline M. Plemons, DDS, MS 214-369-8585, drplemons@yahoo.com
LEGAL COUNSEL** Carl R. Galant
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR** Lee Ann Johnson, CAE 512-443-3675, ext 134, ljohnson@tda.org *Non-voting member **Non-voting Board of Directors Texas Dental Association
2026 TDA MEETING AWARD HIGHLIGHTS
TDA Awards Committee members include Dr Annie C. Wilson, chair, Dr Ron Hill, Dr Austin V. Lee, and Dr Shane A. Ricci. Awards were presented at the TDA House of Delegates during the TDA Meeting in San Antonio in May 2026.
GOLD MEDAL FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
DR LISA B. MASTERS received the Gold Medal for Distinguished Service Award, presented by TDA President Dr Glen Hall. This is the association’s highest award, given to a dentist who represents the best of the TDA, dedicating his or her life to the Association and profession, advancing both through his or her commitment, strength, and vision. Recipients must meet certain criteria such as service in TDA leadership, ADA service, local society contributions, commitment to organized dentistry through other organizations including teaching, and service to community. Only one person per year may receive this award, and the award is only given if there is a worthy recipient.
RISING STAR OF THE LONE STAR AWARD
DR JONATHAN C. VOGEL received the Rising Star of the Lone Star Award, presented by Dr Glen D Hall. The award is given to an outstanding new dentist, recognizing his or her dedication and drive to honor the field of dentistry. This award is peer reviewed, and the criteria includes that the individual must be less than 10 years out of dental school; a TDA/ ADA member in good standing; and must exhibit excellence in one or more of the following areas: science, research, and education, practice excellence, philanthropy, leadership, and/or advocacy.
PAST PRESIDENT’S AWARD
Dr Georganne P. McCandless received the Past President’s Award, who served the TDA as president-elect, president, and past president, presented by Dr Elizabeth Goldman.
INCOMING PRESIDENT’S AWARD
Dr Glen D. Hall presented the Incoming President’s Award to Dr Elizabeth Goldman.
OUTGOING PRESIDENT’S AWARD
Dr Glen D. Hall, who served the association as president-elect and president, receives the Outgoing President’s Award, presented by Dr Elizabeth Goldman.
OUTGOING COUNCIL MEMBERS
Drs Yeri L. Guak, Jerry J. Hopson, Henry T. Liao, Partha Mukherji, Corbin R. Alhadef and Akshay Thusu. Not pictured: E. Kelsey Edmondson, Blake M. Hutzler, Gabrielle C. Dizon, Elizabeth B. Goodall, and Amanda C. Aparicio, who served the Association as council members.
OUTGOING VICE PRESIDENTS
Drs Drew M. Vanderbrook, Matthew J. Heck, Adam S. Awtrey, and Melissa Uriegas, who served the Association as directors, senior directors, and vice presidents.
OUTSTANDING SENIOR DENTAL STUDENT AWARDS
The TDA Outstanding Senior Dental Student Award recipients were Grace H. Hambrick from Texas A & M University College of Dentistry, Tiffany L. Tran from the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, Megan Kalpin from Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Dentistry, and Kelly Yang from the Woody L. Hunt School of Medicine.
CERTIFICATES OF MERIT
Certificates of Merit were presented to Steve Godby, in recognition of his efforts to serve the dental health and welfare of the disadvantaged veterans in the Brazos Valley area; Jeff Miller, Halliburton CEO, in recognition of his efforts to serve the dental health and welfare of the disadvantaged population in the state of Texas; Starfish Ministries to Texas, in recognition of their efforts to serve the dental health and welfare of the disadvantaged population in the San Antonio; and Emmanuel Nyong of the St. Vincent’s Hope Clinic, in recognition of his efforts to serve the dental health and welfare of the disadvantaged population in the Galveston area.
PRESIDENT’S AWARDS
The President’s Award was presented to Texas Dental Association Membership & AMS Manager Rachael Daigle for her outstanding service and dedication to TDA members. The President’s Award was also presented to Jane Evans Jane Evans for being the backbone of Dallas County Dental Society and the Southwest Dental Conference and a champion for the underserved in her roles with the TDA Smiles Foundation and the Texas Mission of Mercy. Dr Hall also presented an award to Shea Woodard Hall for her efforts with a local TMOM.
TDA SERVICE RECOGNITION AWARD
The Service Recognition Award was presented to Dr Cody C. Graves. In appreciation of his unwavering commitment to organized dentistry at the local, state, or national level. Dr Alex Edgerly was recognized for his service as president of the Southeast Texas Dental Society in 2025-2026.
ALLIANCE SERVICE RECOGNITION AWARD
Nancy Cartwright received the Alliance Service Recognition Award for her dedication and leadership as Alliance President this past year. Her time and commitment have made a lasting impact.
TDA Incoming President’s Address to the 2026 Texas Dental Association
House of Delegates may 9, 2026
Incoming TDA President
elizabeth goldman, DDS
Three turning points:
• meeting mentors,
• acting on opportunities, and
• engaging a community.
All because I was connected.
The young person you see below—that’s me—was preparing to treat her very first patient in third-year clinic at Baylor College of Dentistry. She—I— was just hoping to get through requirements without any major missteps or disasters. Fortunately, things went reasonably well, and soon after graduation, I experienced my first turning point. I began practicing with mentors who emphasized something I didn’t fully appreciate at the time: the importance of organized dentistry.
One of my employer/mentors paid half of my tripartite dues, and we often carpooled to Dallas County Dental Society meetings, where we were warmly welcomed. Looking back, that was my first glimpse into the power of connection in this profession.
Life, as it does, got busy. In the midst of raising our two daughters, juggling activities, volunteering and practicing part-time, organized dentistry became something I supported, but from a distance. Then came an opportunity.
While working at a nonprofit clinic in McKinney, two dentists from North Texas Dental Society visited my clinic to see how funds from the NTDS charity golf tournament could support us. What they really did was remind me what organized dentistry looks like at its best.
That was my opportunity to return to TDA with intention.
I started attending meetings again and said yes to serving on the NTDS Board of Directors.
And because you’re all sitting here on a Saturday afternoon in May, you’re well aware that once you say yes to serving in leadership, additional opportunities have a way of finding you.
A few years later, the TDA community helped reshape my professional life entirely.
I found myself at a crossroads. With the nonprofit clinic facing financial challenges, I came across a listing for a former colleague’s practice that was for sale—and within two weeks, I was a practice owner. The connections I had built through the TDA community became an incredible source of support, offering guidance and counsel exactly when I needed it most.
Three turning points
All because I was connected. If you had told that third-year dental student that she would one day stand here as President of the Texas Dental Association, she would have laughed.
But what I’ve learned is this: Our paths are rarely linear. They are shaped by people, by opportunities, and by the organizations that connect us.
That brings me to all of you, who have said yes to serving and are doing the hard work of furthering our Association.
This year, the House of Delegates and the TDA Board of Directors have taken on some of the most thoughtful, complex, and forward-looking issues we’ve faced in recent years: redistricting, jurisdictional freedom, peer review, and dues adjustment. These are not easy topics, nor are they quick decisions, but they are exactly the kinds of conversations we must be willing to have if we are serious about our future. Because while none of us has a crystal ball, we do know that creating value for our members is our best chance at remaining essential to Texas dentists.
The landscape is changing. Dentists today have more options than ever for continuing education, networking, and community. We are no longer the only game in town. I don’t think that’s something to fear, it’s something to respond to by leaning into our strengths and by responding to what matters most to our members. Then we must have the courage to evolve in ways that keep this organization meaningful, relevant, and strong.
I’d like to highlight three ways we know that TDA shines: Advocacy, Access to Care, and Teamwork.
As we look ahead to the 90th legislative session in 2027, TDA’s advocacy will be at the forefront to protect and advance our profession and the patients we serve. In our recent relevancy survey, advocacy was by far the most important thing to our members—and also to nonmembers—and led by our amazing legislative team, we’ll continue to shine in this area, taking up issues that affect our patients and our practices on a daily basis. It’s more important than ever to follow TDA and DENPAC on social media, and read the TDA Today and Texas Toothline online to keep up to date on how you can support and participate in key advocacy efforts.
I must admit that I was late to the party when it comes to the Texas Mission of Mercy. I first volunteered 3 years ago, and I’ve been to six TMOM events since then. I know many of you are seasoned veterans when it comes to TMOMs, and I commend you for contributing to the success of this program that will celebrate its 100th TMOM event on October 2-3 in Edinburg. Providing pro bono dental care for around 600 patients per 2-day event not only helps patients in need, it demonstrates the good we can do when we come together as a community to make a difference. Working by myself, I can help a few patients. Working together with all of you, we can help hundreds of patients in only a few days. If you haven’t experienced a TMOM, let 2026 be the year that changes.
Last, but certainly not least, is our people. Our hardworking and knowledgeable staff, led by our new Executive Director Ms Lee Ann Johnson, move mountains for us and help us in countless
ways to further our profession, as do the staff at our local component societies. Our volunteer leaders and members, including all of you sitting here today, spend countless hours in Zoom and in-person meetings and responding to emails, discussing and shaping issues that affect our future. I see you signing in to these meetings from the car at your child’s piano lesson, or signing out from one meeting to immediately go to another one. Please know that your efforts and sacrifices are appreciated and your contributions make our Association and our profession better.
Speaking of sacrifices, I’d like to take a moment to thank my family—my husband Mike, our daughter and son-in-law RJ and Jake Magargle, and our daughter Anna Goldman, who have been so supportive of my various roles in organized dentistry. I’m also grateful to all my friends at North Texas Dental Society, who saw something in me that I didn’t necessarily see in myself and encouraged me to serve in leadership. And of course to my staff, Melinda, Noemi and KJ, who manage my schedule and somehow make it work.
I’ll leave you with this: Organized dentistry changed the course of my life by giving me mentors, opportunities, and a community.
What has it given you?
A mentor, or someone to mentor?
An open door or a helping hand? Opportunities to make an impact?
Lifelong friends?
I know it has given each of us this: A story. I challenge you to share your story of how TDA has influenced your path, both personally and professionally.
Because at its core, that is what TDA is. Not just policies and programs, but members creating stories of working together and building something that matters. Let’s keep building!
(L-R): Dr Goldman is pictured with her family, Anna Goldman, Mike Goldman, RJ Magargle, and Jake Magargle.
TDA outgoing President’s Address to the 2026 Texas Dental Association House of Delegates may 8, 2026
Glen D. Hall, DDS Outgoing TDA President
Good
afternoon, colleagues, friends, and fellow members of the Texas
Dental Association.
Earlier this year, I visited the Rio Grande Valley and spent time with three dentists running three very different practices. Dr Saam Zarrabi runs a large group practice. Dr. Andrew Smith is a second-generation owner, carrying forward his family-built practice. And Dr. Adrian Perez operates a family practice with his mother and fiancé across multiple locations.
Three dentists. Three completely different models. Three different visions of what a life in dentistry looks like in Texas.
And every single one of them is a TDA member.
That visit stayed with me because it is a picture of exactly what I want to leave you with today and captures something essential about who we are.
Dr Glen D. Hall receiving the Outgoing President’s Award from Dr Elizabeth Goldman.
We are not all the same. We do not practice the same way, own the same kind of practice, or face the same set of challenges when we walk through the door on Monday morning. The large group dentist and the solo practitioner. The secondgeneration owner and the dentist fresh out of school. The urban specialist and the dentist serving a rural community that would otherwise go without care. We fight for them all.
What unites us is not how we practice. What unites us is why we practice—and the shared belief that this profession is worth protecting.
When we enter the Capitol, we do so not as individuals defined by our different practice settings, but as Texas dentists united—speaking with one voice. That collective voice carries a strength no individual—regardless of success—can achieve alone.
That is what this association represents. And that is what this year has been about.
The Legislative Landscape
Let me tell you where things stand as we head into the 90th Regular Legislative Session, the political landscape at the Capitol is shifting. The results of the March primaries made that clear, and those changes will shape the conversations that matter to every dentist in this state.
Our legislative team has not been waiting around for the session to begin. They have been out there, actively meeting with candidates, building relationships, and making sure that TDA is already at the table before the 90th Session ever gavels in. That work is happening right now on your behalf.
The 90th Session will have no shortage of competition for attention—property taxes, school choice, the power grid, hemp regulation. Legislators will be balancing many demands. That reality makes our strategy clear: we cannot afford to show up in January and hope for the best. Our job is to be heard. We must already be in the room.
And we are.
The TDA’s legislative agenda for 2027 will be finalized in November, with a summary published in the December issue of The Texas Dental Journal. On January 18, 2027, the first issue of The Root for the new session will arrive in your inbox. I encourage you to read it. Share it with your colleagues. That is how we keep our members informed and our profession engaged, and engagement is how we remain effective.
This kind of sustained presence at the Capitol does not happen by accident. It requires an organized association.
It does not happen without dedicated staff.
And it does not happen without committed members.
It requires you. It happens because TDA exists and is engaged.
The Work You Do Not Always See
Some of the most important work TDA does happens, without headlines, or even making the news. I want to take a minute to recognize that.
This year, TDA worked closely with the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners on the fingerprinting and State Identification Number requirement. While this may have come as a surprise to some of you, I want to address it directly.
This rule was not a new one.Fingerprinting and criminal history checks have been required for dental licensure since around 2009. In 2024 a Department of Public Safety audit found roughly 14,000 licensed dentists and hygienists, most of them licensed before 2016, simply did not have a State ID number on file. That meant the Dental Board could not receive criminal history notifications for those licensees. The audit required the State Board to close that gap.
TDA worked to make sure the communication was clear, to ensure the process was communicated clearly, implemented fairly so that our members were not left confused or caught off guard, and managed in a way that minimized disruption for our members.
Dr Hall awarded Dallas County Dental Society Executive Director Jane Evans with the President’s Award for her commitment and dedication to the profession of dentistry.
No drama. No unnecessary conflict. Just your association doing its job working behind the scenes so you can focus on your practice and your patients.
This is the kind of quiet, steady, often unseen work your membership funds every single day. You may never hear about it. But it matters.
First Continental Life: An Ongoing Fight
Now I want to address an issue that has caused a real hardship for some of our members this year.
First Continental Life and Accident has failed to pay certain claims for dental benefits administered under specific Medicare Advantage plans. Some of you in this room may be sitting on unpaid claims right now. For those affected, this represents money that was EARNED, is owed to you, and has not been delivered. That is unacceptable.
TDA is not standing still. In partnership with the American Dental Association, we are pressing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and elected officials at both the state and federal level to get this resolved. We are coordinating advocacy at every level available to us.
I will be straight with you: outcomes in matters involving federal programs and private insurers are not always within our control. But I can assure you this: your concerns are being heard at the highest levels, and TDA and the ADA are committed to pursuing every available avenue on your behalf.
Membership: A Candid Conversation
Now I want to speak plainly about something I raised last May. And I will say it again because it has not changed.
In the year 2000, our membership market share was 74 percent. Today, it stands at 34 percent.
That is not an easy statistic to share from this podium, but it is an important one. We owe each other honesty, not reassurance.
As of March 31, members who had not renewed their membership for 2026 transitioned to non-member status. Every one of those dentists is someone we know—a colleague who once believed this association was worth their investment. We must ask ourselves why they left, and what we can do to bring them back.
The answer is not a simple one. Newer dentists are carrying heavier debt than any generation before them. More are working as employees rather than practice owners. Many earn their continuing education online, meet colleagues through
digital platforms, and run their practices through apps rather than phone calls. Practices have evolved in ways that look very different from a generation ago. These are simply different ways of practicing. But they require us to rethink how we demonstrate value.
They are not shortcomings—they are realities. And they challenge us to clearly demonstrate our value.
So let me tell you what the value is. And I do not want to stop at advocacy, because that is only part of the story.
When we poll our members, advocacy is the number one reason our members belong. It protects your ability to practice, to be fairly compensated, and to not be buried under regulations written by people who have never held a handpiece.
Through DENPAC, that advocacy translates into real political influence. In election years, DENPAC contributes more than $300,000 to candidates running for State office and historically wins more than 90% of its targeted races. That is not abstract—that is dentistry with a seat at the table.
But advocacy is only part of the story.
The TDA Meeting is one of the most valuable opportunities we have each year to grow as clinicians, with three full days of world-class continuing education, hands-on learning, and exposure to the latest tools and techniques in our field. Investing in our education isn’t just good for us; it’s what our patients deserve. Walking into this meeting every year reminds me why I fell in love with dentistry. It is an opportunity to reconnect with the energy, the passion, and the sense of community are unlike anything else in our profession.
TDA Perks and TDA Financial Services are members-only programs that put real money back in your pocket, and this year the numbers backed that up. FSI Group generated $1.98 million in revenue. Member Benefits recorded their highest revenues to date. CE Concierge expanded beyond Texas and brought on the North Carolina Dental Society as a client. And TDA Insurance Services secured disability coverage for D3 and D4 students at all four Texas dental schools. Because protecting this profession starts before you ever walk out of school. Every partner in these programs has been vetted by your peers and negotiated at a scale no individual practice can match. For many members, the savings alone cover the cost of dues.
But I can assure you this: your concerns are being heard at the highest levels, and TDA and the ADA are committed to pursuing every available avenue on your behalf.
And the TDA Smiles Foundation, through its scholarships and grant-making, continues to assist in the financial needs of other non-profits and our future dentists. Since 2001, Texas Mission of Mercy, Inc. has delivered over $37 million in free dental care to more than 57,000 Texans through the Texas Mission of Mercy program. That is organized dentistry doing what dentists do best: taking care of people.
Advocacy. Financial savings. Charitable care. Education. Community. TDA is not a single benefit. Taken together, these efforts form something larger than any single benefit. They represent the full infrastructure of a profession committed to taking care of itself, and serving others. Every bit of it exists because of membership.
At least one nationally-known expert tells us that Membership grows through relationships.
So I want to ask something of every person in this room. Each of us knows someone who has stepped away—has not renewed. You work beside them. You trained with them. You may have shared a lunch table at a component meeting years ago. Reach out to them. Not with a brochure, but with a conversation. Share your experience. Explain the value. Tell them the whole story, what this association has done for you personally, and ask them to come back.
Because everything we have discussed—our advocacy, our education, our programs, our service—depends on membership. Every one of these programs, the political influence, the continuing education, the financial savings, the charitable care, exist because of membership. None of it functions without the dentists in this room and the colleagues we have across this state.
We have payment plans. We have options. TDA staff will gladly give you a list of nonrenewals in your area for you to contact.
Membership is built one relationship at a time. It always has. And it always will be.
Closing
Early in my career, a dentist neighbor of mine invited me to a local component meeting. At the time, I did not fully understand what I was stepping into. He served on what was called at the time “The Council on Insurance.” I did not know what the Council on Insurance was. I did not know what any of it meant. But in that room, I experienced something that has stayed with me ever since: the realization that in the course of my practice individual voices, brought together around a shared purpose, can accomplish something none of us could ever accomplish alone. And I wanted to be a part of that.
That principle is still true. And that principle defines us.
I want to thank the TDA Board of Directors, our executive director, our legislative team, and every member of our staff for an extraordinary year of work. I also want to recognize the volunteers in this room—our council members, committee members, and delegates who sacrificed practice hours and family hours to be here today— whose time and commitment make this organization function. This year would not have been possible without you.
And I want to encourage every person here to consider stepping further in. If you have been thinking about serving on a committee, council, or in another leadership role, now is the time. Do it. The best way to see the change you want in this association is to be part of making it. The next generation of TDA leadership is sitting in this room right now. We need you. The future of this association depends on those willing to step forward.
Leadership is not defined by title. It is defined by service. It is about stepping forward, about listening, about contributing, and asking “How can we do better,” for our members, for our patients, and for every community we serve across this state.
The strength of this association has never been in a building in Austin or a line item in a budget. It resides in you—the dentist who renews every year because they believe in something larger than their own individual practices—the delegate who drove three or more hours to be in this room today; the volunteer who gives up evenings and Saturdays to move this profession forward.
So when someone asks, “What’s in it for me?”—answer the truth. Tell them TDA stands between their practice and the people who would diminish it. Tell them about the legislation TDA has shaped, about the insurers TDA has challenged, about the dentists TDA has protected, and tell them that none of it happens without membership.
Together, we have led Texas dentistry through a demanding year.
Together, we will shape what comes next.
Thank you.
15th district trustee, american dental association, Address to the 2026 Texas
Dental Association House of Delegates may 8, 2026
rita m. cammarata, DDS
ADA 15th District Trustee
Mr Speaker, Mr President, Madame President-Elect, Distinguished Colleagues and Guests, as your ADA 15th District Trustee, I bring you greetings and the Trustee update. Last year, I told you a story about the chaos of Christmas morning and how it related to the chaos ADA was experiencing at that moment. And how our interim Executive Director, Dr Shapiro, was like a mom who cleans up after that exciting Christmas morning, when everything is everywhere. I am pleased to say ADA is cleaning up the chaotic mess, through the work of Dr Shapiro, President Rich Rosato’s Culture of Listening, and our own Dr Cody Graves, as ADA Treasurer, working with the Finance Team, and stability brought by our new ED, Dr Nader Nadershahi.
We are making great headway in righting the ADA. If the ADA was once like the kingsized candy bar we buy at the movies, it is becoming the bite-sized bar kids find in their Halloween bags, still sweet and gooey, just not as big. This is good change, being managed in a methodical way, undertaken while avoiding the chaos we recently lived through.
Dr Paumier discussed the roles and responsibilities of the ADA Tripartite. IS IT to our members, or the states, the profession, or public health? Whatever you think that answer is, I want to discuss what ADA already brings to the table.
If you remember David Letterman and his Top 10 List, this might sound familiar…I am going to deliver Dr Cammarata’s Top 10 Reasons to be an ADA member.
So, here we go:
Number 10: Bonus Shred. You’ll receive a lot of junk mail that can be shredded and then used as confetti at your next Fourth of July neighborhood parade. Just make sure you’re not shredding or deleting the information about our new ADA Credit Union, where you can earn interest on your Power Checking Account, minimize your bank fees, or apply for a home mortgage or auto loan.
Number 9: Fun Friends (some might say, nerdy friends). You get to come to meetings in fun places like right here in San Antonio or Columbus, Ohio, and meet with friends from across the nation to catch up on life, both inside and outside the office. Keeping those relationships and lines of communication open promotes mental wellness because sometimes you just need to talk with someone who’s in the trenches, too. And if you need more, turn to ADA and utilize the Dental Well-being Index or other mental health resources available to members.
Number 8: Bargains and Savings. You have the opportunity to save money on home products and new cars; hotel stays, and car rentals while traveling. You also might think you’ve won the lottery when our Advocacy efforts prevent laws from being enacted that will increase the costs you or your employer pays to run a dental practice. Recently, there was a clause within the Big Beautiful Bill that the ADA recognized and then prevented the elimination of the IRS Schedule C tax form that allows for [pass-through entities], it saves a small private practice around $20,000 annually or a medium to large practice $3040,000 annually. Our ADA Government Affairs staff caught this proposed change while
studying the more than 800 pages of this landmark legislation. Thank goodness your ADA dues dollars paid for the staff that caught this change.
Number 7: Fill in the Blanks. When your staff is completing insurance forms and using CDT codes to file for reimbursement, did you know that those forms are standardized because of the ADA’s negotiating with insurance companies years ago? Now, you fill out the same form for all insurance companies, not a different one for each. And those CDT Codes in that book you buy each year, they are developed by a committee of 20, the Code Maintenance Committee. This is not an ADA committee, but ADA has 5 of the 20 votes on the Code Committee. Those other votes are given to Dental Specialists, other national dental organizations, and 3rd party payors and dental benefit organizations. Without ADA, you lose your voice and votes on this committee. And let’s not forget how ADA represents and protects us in SNODENT, ICD-10-CM, and CPT Codes, all of which affect how a practice is reimbursed.
Number 6: Street Cred. The 3rd Party Payor Concierge, it’s like having “a guy”, “If you have a problem, don’t worry, I’ve got a guy who knows a guy”. Call ADA when you need help navigating payer disputes or when administrative issues arise. And ADA, through CQAH, can simplify your credentialing process, reduce paperwork, and accelerate credentialing with payers and health plans.
Number 5: Don’t Stop Believing… the ADA HOD, your colleagues, develop and maintain policies (the things that we believe), and ADA comments at a national level on Federal Regulations guided by these policies. This ensures that only dentists, not insurers or regulators, define the principles that guide oral health care and professional practice, and that federal rules are in line with what actually happens in your dental practice. Clinical guidelines written by ADA volunteers, are used by State Boards to determine Standard of Care. Are we willing to accept these guidelines and Standard of Care being established by physicians, insurance companies, State or Federal Agencies? If not, this may be the #1 reason to join ADA.
Number 4: ET Phone Home. Oops, that should be IT, not ET. Health IT, Information Technology. Given ADA’s standing in the statutory and regulatory arenas, this ensures dentistry has a trusted voice in national Health IT decisions. Data is king, and Health IT directly affects claims, prior authorizations, and data exchange. Once again, ADA has the unique advantage as the authority that simultaneously anchors dentistry across all national health IT standards bodies. No other organization can represent you at these federal tables; if we are NOT at the table, we are on the menu.
Number 3: PURPLE Politics. You must mix red and blue to make purple, and ADA is here to advocate for the profession. Here’s a story: Currently, 30 dentists in the Rio Grande Valley have not been paid by a Medicare Advantage plan company. Collectively, they are owed over $700,000, and some have been offered 40 cents on the dollar to settle. What happened: the Valley dentists called TDA, Diane Rhodes. Diane called ADA and then me. I then emailed ADA Government Affairs and called Representative Brian Babin. Our ADA Lobby team went into action, contacting the Texas Federal Delegation in the US Congress.
Now, CMS has opened an investigation into this company. Nothing has been recovered for the dentists yet, but because of ADA, we have a shot, and at the very least, we may be able to shut down a bad actor to protect other dentists.
Number 2: Nikon 35mm Camera Lens. If you are into photography, you know that all Nikon lenses are standard and have excellent backward compatibility, so that they fit all Nikon cameras. This is exactly what the ADA Standards Program oversees for dentistry. Through ADA SCDM and SCDI, standards are set for dental materials, equipment, and informatics to protect patients and dentists by ensuring safety, interoperability, and integration into your practice. Standards began in 1917 under the Army Surgeon General, and in 1928 the ADA began collaborating with the National Bureau of Standards to develop dental standards. Eventually, ADA did what ADA does best and developed a committee that was accredited by ANSI in 1970. Through many iterations to today, the ADA Standards Committee has 450+ members, our members collaborating with other players in the dental industry. Without Standards, there is no consensus, so companies decide for themselves what the standards are for the dental industry. I think we can all agree that, without ADA Standards, it becomes the Wild West.
And now the Number one reason to be a member of the ADA and the tripartite:
Number 1: 2x4 Framing. The ADA Infrastructure is what maintains our profession, just like 2x4s are the framing of our homes that support the roof, the walls, the windows. Without that infrastructure, we have a house of straw, and the profession will not be what it is today, and states and locals cannot replace numbers 2 through 9 that we just discussed. We must stay together as a tripartite and convince our fellow dentists to join, because the ADA cannot sustain this Top 10 list without all of us pulling together. We are already down to a bite-sized Snickers; we can’t get much smaller and still be relevant.
Another fun fact about the Top 10 list is that it is generated primarily by the ADA’s Practice Institute, some from Government Affairs, and ADABEI, the Business Enterprise group. We haven’t even talked about the benefits from the Education Division, the Health Policy Institute, AFI Science and Research, the Seal Program, DQA or the ADA Foundation.
So, the next time someone asks what they get for the cost of membership dues, or says they don’t agree with the ADA, or they’d be members of TDA but not ADA, turn to Dr Cammarata’s Top 10 List, pick a few, and inform them of the value for their dues dollars. Then ask them which they can live without or don’t agree with and remind them of what I’ve told you before, what I heard from Dr Jerry Long, a past ADA trustee…No members, no ADA, no ADA, no profession and I’ll modify it a bit, no ADA, no standards, no advocacy, no policies and our state and locals cannot cover all of that ADA value for $625 a year.
There is more happening at the ADA, so come to the Town Hall today at 3:00. Dr Cody Graves and I will update you on additional ADA developments and answer your questions. Thanks for your time and attention, and Dr Hall, my appreciation for all you have done this past year as TDA President and for all your years of service as TDA and ADA Speaker of the House. You are the best. Thank you all.
Guest Editor Rade D. Paravina, DDS, MS, PhD
To Extract or Not to Extract: Similar Malocclusions, Different Treatment Paths in Twin Brothers Part 2. The Nonextraction Approach
Part 3. Discussion and Comparison will appear in future TDJ editions
Katie Julien, DDS, MS; Chair and Director, Department of Orthodontics, UTHealth Houston, School of Dentistry
Jorge D. Aguirre, DDS, MSc; Associate Professor and Clinic Director, Department of Orthodontics, UTHealth Houston, School of Dentistry
Holly McIver, DDS, MSD; Assistant Professor, Department of Orthodontics, UT Health Houston, School of Dentistry
Bethany Wyss, DDS, MSD; Resident Class of 2025, Department of Orthodontics, UTHealth Houston, School of Dentistry
ABSTRACT
Objective
To present the diagnosis, treatment rationale, and clinical outcome of an adolescent patient with a dental Class II, division 2 malocclusion on a skeletal Class I base, deep overbite, retroclined maxillary incisors, and bilateral arch length deficiency managed without extractions through maxillary expansion and fixed appliance therapy.
Clinical Considerations.
A 15-year-old male—the identical twin of the patient described in Part 1—presented with a chief complaint of crooked teeth. Clinical and cephalometric evaluation revealed a skeletal Class I pattern (SNA 74.1°, SNB 71.9°, Wits +1.6 mm) with full bilateral Class II molar and canine
relationships, retroclined maxillary incisors (U1-SN 77.7°, well below the 103° norm), a deep, impinging overbite of 6 mm, and approximately 6 mm of arch length deficiency in both arches. The profile was convex with an obtuse nasolabial angle. A 3 mm mandibular dental midline shift was noted. Despite a similar chief complaint and dental crowding severity to his twin, the underlying skeletal pattern and incisor inclination were slightly more favorable. This, in combination with growth potential, distinguished this patient as a candidate for a nonextraction approach.
Treatment objectives included proclining the retroclined maxillary incisors, resolving bilateral arch length deficiency, expanding the maxillary arch with a rapid palatal expander (RPE), correcting the dental Class II relationships, achieving ideal overbite
and overjet, and improving midline coincidence. Treatment was initiated with maxillary RPE activation followed by full fixed appliances including the second molars. Arch wire progression followed a standard sequencing protocol. Class II elastic mechanics were introduced, and Class I was achieved after approximately 9 months. Finishing mechanics included bracket repositioning for detailed root control, residual overbite refinement, and 0.2 mm of mandibular interproximal reduction of the lower incisors reduced incisor flaring and optimized anterior contacts. Total active treatment duration was approximately 14 months. Retention consisted of bonded fixed lingual retainers (mandibular 3-3 and maxillary 2-2) and clear overlay Essix retainers in both arches.
Conclusions
This case demonstrates how a nonextraction orthodontic strategy— anchored by maxillary expansion, full-arch fixed appliances, and Class II elastic mechanics—can effectively resolve arch length deficiency, dental Class II relationships, and deep overbite in an adolescent with a skeletal Class I foundation and retroclined maxillary incisors. The favorable incisor
inclination provided built-in space for decompensation and proclination, reducing the need for extraction-based space creation.
Clinical Significance
Not all Class II presentations require extractions. When the skeletal pattern is favorable, incisor inclination is retroclined, and the patient is in active adolescent growth, a nonextraction
approach with expansion and functional correction can yield excellent occlusal and esthetic outcomes. Comparing treatment strategies in genetically similar patients—as illustrated across Parts 1 and 2—highlights how individualized diagnosis drives fundamentally different, yet equally valid, orthodontic decisions.
Pretreatment smiling frontal and profile views of a 15-year-old patient (identical twin of the patient in Part 1) presenting with full dental Class II, division 2 molar and canine relationships, retroclined maxillary incisors, 6 mm deep overbite, and bilateral arch length deficiency on a skeletal Class I base. Posttreatment views demonstrate improved incisor inclination, Class I occlusal relationships, resolved crowding, and balanced facial esthetics following a nonextraction approach with rapid palatal expansion, full fixed appliances, and Class II elastic mechanics.
