Spinning Christopher Columbus

Globalization has been the topic of conversation at the ADA. At the February board meeting of the ADA trustees, we reviewed the book The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman. Mr. Friedman states, “ ... the world is shrinking from a size small to a size tiny and flattening the playing field at the same time. Individuals must, and can now ask: where do I fit into the global competition and opportunities of the day, and how can I, on my own, collaborate with others globally?” The author continues: “Suddenly more people will connect with other people from different places in more different ways than ever before ... The long-term opportunities and challenges that the flattening of the world puts before the United States are profound. Therefore, our ability to get things done by doing things the way we’ve been doing them will not suffice any more.”

So how will this affect the ADA and dentistry?

The Board heard from three speakers involved in dentistry and globalization. Information on dental procedures, equipment, research, education, and everyday practice can be shared in a moment, and the entire world is now capable of experiencing the same information transfer. How will our standards change? Will this affect education, accreditation, licensure, budgets, and bring up membership issues?

Membership Philosophy

At the February meeting, the ADA Board also discussed membership and how the association and members could benefit by being more inclusive in adding new categories or expanding existing categories of membership. These are the questions we will be discussing this year and at the ADA House of Delegates next October. 

The Future of Advocacy

Another big event in February at the ADA was the Summit Meeting. There were 64 people representing all aspects of dentistry who gathered in Chicago to discuss trends affecting the ADA’s advocacy future, what we are doing now, what we need to change, and what issues will affect our future. Participants described future advocacy scenarios and discovered the common ground upon which everyone would be willing to work. They then considered the implications of this common ground and what would be needed to move the group forward. You will be hearing more about the work of the Summit group, and may go to the ADA website to access their progress.

This April many of our district members will be attending the Washington Advocacy Summit April 2-5 in Washington, D.C. We are privileged to have Ed Vigna from our Tenth District as chair of the ADA ADPAC and John Nei as our district representative to ADPAC. Please contact Ed, John, MDA Executive Director Dick Diercks, or Senate and Congressional contacts about any concerns you have with our national government that affect dentistry.

A Good Bet

It is not too early to start planning to attend the ADA Annual Meeting in Las Vagas October 16-20. Please attend the meeting; bring your family and staff. Other meetings this spring for your interest are our state meetings March 30-April 2 in Nebraska, Minnesota’s Star of the North Meeting April 28-May 1, the Iowa Dental Association Meeting May 5-8, and the South Dakota Meeting May 18-21.

I will be looking forward to travelling to the different states in our district this spring and giving an update on issues affecting all of us.

I hope to see all of you soon. Again, please do not hesitate to contact me at the following numbers:

• (563) 355-6626 (office)

• (563) 355-7637 (fax)

• kellk@ada.org (e-mail)