{ outreach in action } by Paul Roberts, Foundation & Outreach Director Make the Safe Bet, Join the MDA


You already know this because of how many people gamble with their oral health by dodging your chair. Many do, however, like a good video poker game or a slot machine. Lottery tickets are held like rosary beads. Did you know there are more than 40,000 slot machines in Missouri? Talk about access! It’s likely that gambling education is more preva- lent than oral health education. Let’s refl ect a little broader and a little further on the entire gambling vibe. Odds are you can hang in there until the end of this musing.


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Unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ve noticed the intense proliferation of ads related to sports gambling on your radio, TV and social feeds. It became offi cially legal in Missouri on December 1, 2025. Now there’s a feeding frenzy for your wallet and your appe- tite to select a winner. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and many more pitch lucrative off ers instantly that can unlock even more opportunities. Just put your money down and start managing your account. You’ll be a high roller in no time.


What do you bet on? It depends on your fan- cy. Point spreads? Over unders? Performance marks? Parlays? Kalshi is another popular product that escapes the sports gambling moniker and allows you to make trades in real time as you watch a sporting event like the stock market ticker. Your options appear limitless. In fact, I’ve heard that some MDA delegates even bet on when the MDA House will adjourn.


What’s the lure? You can customize your budget, your sport preference, your risk – just about anything. You can play online 24/7 right from the privacy of your phone. You can even play with your friends and win or lose together. You, you, you – a winner, a King, a High Roller. What’s not to like?


26 focus | WINTER 2025 | ISSUE 4


hile dentists may be consid- ered risk averse as a group, the general population evidently loves to gamble.


Is there a downside? You mean other than the house wins more than you? Need proof? Look at the opulent casinos in Las Vegas. Consider the disclaimers in every ad about gambling addiction hotlines. Dig into the loan markets where people can extend their line of credit while they hope to hit the big one. Consider the time and energy spent keeping up with it all. There are some real dangers.


Am I taking a moral stand on gambling? Not really. I enjoy living in a free country and I endorse personal autonomy. Plus, I under- stand the pull. I love to watch games, and I use betting language often. I just have alliga- tor arms when it comes to putting my money out there.


But let’s pull back. Life is a series of gambles. For example, will your dental school eff ort and debt pay off with a lucrative career? You bet on yourself. I like that. I think it’s part of human experience to evaluate your environ- ment, your current resources, your opportu- nities and your skill set and then make your choices (essentially a bet) based on your risk


tolerance. This human experience is refl ected in our speech. We say things like “Marrying her was the best bet I ever made” or “What are the odds that I could start from scratch and build this practice.”


Let’s evaluate MDA membership in this light. Is it a safe bet? What do you get for plunking down your hard-earned dollars? A lot. You can customize your member experience. You can help shape dentistry’s future. You can win and lose together with like-minded col- leagues. You can access resources found no- where else. You can support the only group that fi ghts for you and your patients’ success. You can even save dollars and use that for your gambling fi x. But you know what you don’t get? A loss. A waste. A bankruptcy. No, membership is not free. Nothing of value ever is. But joining the MDA is a safe bet for your success.


Contact Paul at paul@modentalmail. org and subscribe to the weekly MDA Blog he authors at modental.org/blog.


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