becomes a daily challenge for staff and the board. It is no different for the association than it is for us: you must balance your budget. Certainly, we must be prudent with the dollars we’ve been entrusted to spend, but first, we must have the dollars, of which dues are an important source.
I have written before about how when I first joined the MDA, I was somewhat jealous of those dentists who had been in practice before me. The main reason was they had such a bond with each other. They not only had a bond professionally, but they had family bonds together as well. They didn’t just get together at meetings but did so with their families on vacations and outings. My generation of colleagues did meet regularly, several times a year, and those personal, face-to-face gatherings were a great oppor- tunity and value to me. That has now since gone as well. We rarely meet, and personal interaction has become less. Is this the way of the future or is it something that needs to be reviewed and renewed? This very well could be a generational value issue as well, but it definitely will be something that has
to be addressed when we speak of meetings and governance for our association.
You can see there are many issues to think, talk and strategize about. The ideas I have presented are not the total, and as a matter of fact, they are just the tip of the iceberg. This is such a complex issue to deal with and it can feel like the sand is emptying fast from the hourglass. Rest assured, your MDA team and Board of Trustees will continue to adapt and improve. I would ask you to think deeply about this ongoing issue and seek to help be part of the solution. We need everyone to weigh in. Your idea could be a valuable turning point. The thought I would leave you with now is, “What will the MDA look like in 10 or 20 years?” It’s adaptation or elimination. My belief is that together we will adapt for the good of the profession.
Share your thoughts with Dr. Wyckoff at
editor@modental.org.
MDA Board Welcomes New LRC & ND Faces
A
t the 2024 MDA House of Delegates, June 22, officers
were installed by Dr. David Manzanares, ADA First Vice- President. These included Drs. Jon Copeland, President; Ron Wilkerson, President-Elect; Mack Taylor, Treasurer; and, Amanda Fitzpatrick, Speaker. In addition to officer elections, some board representatives changed, including: Dr. Rachel Parker will replace Dr. Garret Cochran as New Dentist Representative and Dr. Mike Berry will replace Dr. Ron Wilkerson as Legislative and Regulatory Committee Chair. Dr. Parker is a 2020 graduate of the ATSU Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health and practices at Northwest Family Dentistry in St. Joseph. Dr. Berry is a past MDA President and practices at Moberly family Dentistry in Moberly.
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DR. ALAYNA SCHOBLASKE | member since 2018 ISSUE 2 | SUMMER 2024 | focus 7
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