Strategic Planning CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE


The MDA continues to support its Voluntary Wellness Program through the Dental Well Being Foundation. This program provides needed help for dentists and their dental teams through a licensed clinical social worker. We always have an opportunity to increase awareness and utilization of this program.


GOAL 2: FINANCIAL & ORGANIZATIONAL STABILITY


Ensure Financial & Organizational Stability to Serve the Profession with Integrity


Wins: We are positioned for growth. Our reserves are strong. Our non-dues revenue streams continue to grow. MDIS dividends remain strong year after year due to their dentist clients. I ask you to consider adding to this growth by exploring using MDIS for your insurance needs. They were created by dentists, for dentists, and they work hard to deliver the insurance and financial products you need at the most competitive rates they can find, and they do it with impeccable ser- vice. Another important program supporting non-dues revenue and allied education is the MDA Clinical Center completed in January 2024. This state-of-the-art location in the MDA Headquarters building is where we host our EFDA courses and soon-to-launch Nitrous Monitoring course. We are noticing strong demand for the newer offering of the Basic Skills Review Course which was created from expressed member need to help their dental assistants be successful. Likewise, the Nitrous Course was created due to lack of consistent availability and expressed member need. These offerings came about because MDA members donated hours of their time to develop curriculum, follow regulatory pro- tocol and advocate vigorously for approval. Due to member involvement and commit- ment, these programs exist for all members to benefit from so their dental teams can continue to upskill to expand the provision of quality care.


Opportunities: We’ve been telling you for a while about the changes happening at the ADA that are aimed at ensuring a sustain-


12 focus | WINTER 2024 | ISSUE 4


able membership model and dues structure for continued growth. At the state and local level, we must stridently and honestly evalu- ate our programs and their ROI for you. In plain speak, what programs do we need to stop and what programs do we need to start or enhance to make membership more valuable? In addition, we need to create more


Strategic planning helps the MDA achieve success by defining our direction, setting goals and developing a plan to achieve them. It also provides a continual process for reviewing and reporting with the ability for nimble adjustments by the MDA along the way.


engagement opportunities. Do you feel seen and heard? Do you feel we are working for you? Honestly, you may not sometimes. Or maybe we can communicate with you more effectively. To that end, a communications survey was sent to membership this month, from which we’re looking forward to glean- ing information and implementing what we learn. Additionally, due to the ADA’s and our new membership platform, over time you will notice incremental, small changes that will result in better communication and overall engagement for and with our members.


GOAL 3: COMMUNITY IMPACT


Advocate for Improving the Profession and the Oral Health of the Public


Wins: Each year we talk about our advocacy success. Year after year, MDA has worked to see one or more of its priority pieces of legis- lation get passed. But our success is not just in passing laws; it’s also in how we collabo- rate with other oral health stakeholders to bring about a positive practice environment for you. One great example is our involve- ment with Medicaid and the improvements


we’ve seen since successfully advocating for increased reimbursement rates. MDA advo- cacy was also instrumental in the creation of a Dental Medicaid Facilitator, a position of the Missouri Coalition for Oral Health that supports dentists by partnering with MO HealthNet and MDA to assist with provider enrollment and other issues. The official commencement of the OPA EFDA pilot proj- ect clinical testing was another important win. This project along with a group called the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is currently reviewing a model policy on dental workforce that the ADA and MDA helped draft. The scope of the OPA EFDA is included as a policy recommendation to as- sist with ensuring a strong dental workforce not just in Missouri, but in all states. For the MDA’s work and leadership to be recognized by a group like ALEC helps us when we go to our legislative leadership asking for their support of this type of expanded function dental professional.


Opportunities: One of the greatest op- portunities we consistently have is to get more members to realize the power of their individual advocacy for the collective good of the profession. This includes knowing about our issues and why they matter, relationship building, comfort in speaking to their elected officials about these issues and participat- ing when we ask to contact representatives on specific issue. Of course being present at the annual Dental Day at the Capitol is vital as well. Attendance has strengthened but imagine if we really show up — I’m talking more than 100 members of our 1,800+ active dentists. We always need a strong PAC and consistent (and increased) donations to it. Members tell us advocacy is the number one reason they join or remain a member, and while we must spend your dues dollars for advocacy related efforts, we cannot spend your dues dollars on the PAC. That must be an additional level of support that you value and invest in.


Contact Vicki at vicki@modentalmail. org or call the MDA office at 573-634- 3436.


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