Seattle King County Dental Society 2021Winter Membership Quarterly

MEMBERSHIP

Quarterly WINTER

VOL 19 / ISSUE 3 VOL 17 / ISSUE 2

Society Elections 2021 A Life of Service Members Get Vaccinated 1111 Har vard Avenue Seattle, WA 98122-4205 206.448.6620 www.skcds.org 2021 SKCDS WINTER QUARTERLY

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WINTER 2021 Volume 19, Issue 3

Seattle-King County Dental Society Summer Quarterly

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contributors: Ms. Sandra Anderson Dr. Austin Baruffi Dr Randy Ogata Publisher: Bill Newcomer, BNC Printing & Graphics, Vancouver, WA OFFICERS Dr. Austin Baruffi, President Dr. Adam Kennedy, President-Elect Dr. Lisa Egbert, Past-President Dr. Katie DeWood, Secretary Dr. Scott Parker, Treasurer EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Dr. Elizabeth A. Kutcipal, Executive Council 2021 Dr. Amanda Spivey, Executive Council 2021 Dr. Joe Vaughn, Executive Council 2021 Dr. Mark Egbert, Executive Council 2022 Dr. Emily Yepez, Executive Council 2022 Dr. Kate Christian, Executive Council 2023 Dr. Rica Mackert, Executive Council 2023 Dr. Randy Ogata, Executive Director Contact and Change of Address: To ensure continued receipt of issues, change of address must be reported to: SKCDS Central Office , 1111 Harvard Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122-4205, as soon as possible Phone: 206.448.6620 | Fax: 206.443.9308.

Email: skcds@skcds.com | website: www.skcds.org The information in this publication is for the exclusive benefit of Seattle-King County Dental Society members. Neither the Society nor the publisher makes any express or implied warranties as to the information herein, including the contents of any advertising. Opinions in The Quarterly do not necessarily express the official policies of the Seattle-King County Dental Society, nor the opinions of the editor, unless so stated. Publication of advertising is not an endorsement, qualification, approval or guarantee of either advertisers or product.

For advertising and publishing details, contact: Mr. Bill Newcomer, BNC Printing & Graphics, 503.318.5916, bill@bncprinting.com; www.bncprinting.com

Office Team / Contact................................................................................4 President’s Message...................................................................................5 From the Desk of Dr. Ogata ........................................................................6 New Members...........................................................................................7 Dr. Theresa Cheng and Everyone for Veterans ................................................8 Elections 2021..........................................................................................9 Dentists Get Vaccinated.............................................................................14 New Dentist Program ......................................................................................18 April Member Meeting......................................................................................19 Foundation Donors 2020................................................................................. 20 Dr. Munk........................................................................................................22

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Cover Photo: Dr. Stephanie Su receiving her COVID-19 vaccine 2021 SKCDS WINTER QUARTERLY

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Seattle King County Dental Society Staff

Executive Director: Dr. Randy Ogata | randy@skcds.com

Director of Member Services: Sandra Anderson | sandra@skcds.com

CONTACT US Seattle King County Dental Society Central Office 1111 Harvard Avenue Seattle, WA 98122 | Phone 206.448.6620 • Fax: 206.443.9308 | Email: skcds@skcds.com • website: www.skcds.org

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The

President’s Message

Dr. Austin Baruffi

MOVING FORWARD I am amazed at how dentists as a group have adapted, and some even thrived, during the past year of the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been giant strides in infection control, teledentistry, digital communication, and a refocus on what we value most. Your Seattle-King County Dental Society has strived to help our members through the difficulties and move us forward together.

SKCDS, and specifically our Executive Director Randy Ogata, has been working with the Department of Health, the University of Washington School of Dentistry, and the Department of Public Health to define the dentists’ role in administering vaccines. The pathway forward is for you to complete the six part training modules from the CDC, watch the instructional videos, and receive hands-on training from one of a variety of sources. This plan is laid out on the society’s website. The next step is to sign up for the society’s database of trained dentists. We are working with a variety of groups to get smaller, mobile clinics set up to vaccinate nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and pockets of high mortality risk populations. I believe this will be the best way to utilize dentists’ skills and training since we are spread throughout communities across the nation. By signing up on the online database we can deploy our membership to volunteer at larger centralized clinics that need our help. Administering the vaccine in our own individual practices during our normal day and schedule will be difficult and it will probably be best to have vaccine-specific locations carry out the procedure. I would like to thank Dr. Dave Carsten for his valuable work on developing regulations, education, and clinical systems for dentists to use to take care of patients needing a vaccine.

Continuing education is one of the most valued member benefits and our recent courses have been a huge success. Dr. Kevin Kwiecien gave an excellent lecture on occlusion and airway. Dr. Emily Yepez, the Chair of the New Dentist Committee, has been doing an excellent job of reinvigorating the New Dentist group and put together a lecture on Teledentistry by Dr. Nathan Suter that fulfills the new state requirement. We will continue to help our members by offering CE focused on addressing legal requirements and state regulations so that it is easier for you to be compliant.

SKCDS is committed to doing our part to address diversity and inclusion. The An ongoing goal for the Seattle-King County Dental Foundation has been to reach demographics of dentistry are becoming much more diverse and, in order to underserved populations through a Mobile Dental Clinic. The prudent decision best serve our members and the community, we must look at action items was made to partner with MTI and wrap a van with our logo to run 6 outreach that we can take to adapt and evolve. A Diversity and Inclusion Task Force clinics per year for 5 years. This was only made possible by your generous was formed and will present their recommendations to the Executive Council donations and participation at our Foundation Gala. Looking forward to best including training, updating our bylaws, and planning programs that will serve our members and the public, the Foundation came up with impressive, be focused on addressing these complicated and sometimes uncomfortable comprehensive ideas with the Access Committee as a partner. The goal is issues. Dr. Adam Kennedy, your President-Elect, is passionate about these to address access to care, access to opportunities, and access to education. issues and will focus on improvement in this arena during his presidential We will utilize our control of the MTI dental van to set up mobile clinics in term, starting in April. underserved and diverse communities. While there, we will partner with community clinics so the patients can get comprehensive care at a dental I am proud of our community of dentists throughout King County and I am home after the triage care at the MTI van. We will be immersing ourselves grateful to be your President. in these diverse communities, making a human connection, and inviting patients and community members to consider joining the dental workforce Sincerely, as assistants, hygienists, and administrators. This comprehensive plan will not just focus on dental treatment but will lead to an increase in applications Dr. Austin Baruffi to dental educational facilities resulting in a larger workforce, a decrease of barriers to care since more members of the individual neighborhoods will be in the dental field, and a more diverse dental community. These are long term and lofty goals, but I believe this will be the best utilization of your society for our members and our community.

Dr. Austin Baruffi

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From the desk of Dr. Randy Ogata

Winter 2021

Executive Director

My mother would take my brothers and sister to the doctor to get shots, and afterward, if we were good, they would reward (bribe?) us with lollipops. Later after donating blood, they served volunteers juice and cookies. When receiving my first dose of the COVID vaccine, the nurse played “pin the tail on my deltoid” then gave me an immunization card and sent me to an observation area for 10-15 minutes. As I type, vaccination education modules are being prepared to allow dentists to become “force multipliers” for Public Health of Seattle King County (PHSKC). SKCDS has been in constant communication with PHSKC as the vaccination roll out has unfolded. SKCDS has provided the actual and factual communications. The doctor in charge of vaccination distribution for PHSKC is thrilled to have more players for his beleaguered team. The heart of a volunteer is an immeasurable force, every dentist I have ever met entered our profession because they wanted to help other people. COVID has made dentists feel helpless at times, the ability to administer vaccines is a tangible way for the whole dental profession to unite and help serve the public good. For those dentists that have already taken the training and have volunteered in mass vaccination clinics, thank you.

The goal of the Seattle King County Dental Foundation (SKCDF), simply put, is to eliminate dental pain and infection in King County residents who need assistance accessing dental care. The SKCDF has entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Medical Teams International (MTI) to provide six dental van clinic events each year for the next five years. SKCDF did not stop there. They have tasked SKCDS’s Access committee to recommend a long-range longitudinal plan to address everything related to access workforce, education, diversity, inclusion, equality, and dental care across all socioeconomic and demographic groups of King County. Further, SKCDF tasked the Access committee to work with MTI to start scheduling this year’s dental van clinics locations and dates. Initially, the ask will be for volunteers to provide dental care, but as we emerge from COVID we hope to partner with other health care entities to provide a true medical dental health fair and eventually get these emergent care patients to a true dental home. The work the Access committee has done over the past several months is absolutely mind boggling, and they are not done yet. Some of these goals will be easy to reach and SKCDS will partner with SKCDF to “Just Do It”, such as the MTI dental van events. Other goals are more lofty or even aspirational in nature, and in some cases require a paradigm shift in thinking that may make some uncomfortable as we address unspoken truths.

SKCDS is New Dentist Committee (NDC) has put together a CDE line up that will benefit dental and graduate students, and new and established dentists alike. The NDC has been reborn under the leadership of Dr. Emily Yepez along with a talented cadre of volunteers. NDC’s first program to kick off 2021 is “Teledentistry: The Bigger Picture” by Dr. Nathan Sutter, as we go to print there are over 150 registrants for this program. Next is a program on systemic and oral health inter-connections. NDC reached out to established study clubs to present why study clubs are important and what they can do for a dentist’s career. In an exciting twist, NDC partnered with the New Dentist Business Club to present a reimagined bootcamp that will provide dentists the tools and resources they need to succeed today, tomorrow, and beyond.

Previously mentioned a “paradigm change in thinking” and the NDC did exactly that; reaching out to foreign trained dentists and international dental students (IDDS Program) and designing a CDE program connecting them with those that have just gone through the same experience as they have and welcoming them into SKCDS. In June, the NDC wraps up their CDE programs for 2021 with a lively panel discussion titled “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”. See page 18 for more details.

I was once told that there are lies, damn lies, and statistics. In 2020 a record number of dentists joined (yes, SKCDS increased membership during COVID) with 1,465 active licensed (1,826 total) dentists. SKCDS is committed to build upon the value that we delivered to each and every dentist last year. There are still 490 dentists from 2020 who have not renewed their membership in 2021. Organized dentistry is stronger with you then without you. We will safeguard dentist’s interests while they work hard to help their offices recover from the effects of COVID. The 490 members who have not rejoined yet are not just a statistic. Each one is an individual with a name and story, with individual problems, concerns and fears. Understand that as a dentist and practice owner myself, each individual’s continued membership means more to me than dues dollars. It means seeing their smile or hearing their laughter at a meeting – watching their practice recover and thrive. Dentists struggling financially are often the ones who need the help and resources organized dentistry provides the most. SKCDS is dedicated to helping dentists succeed both personally and professionally. Don’t cut off your organized dentistry lifeline; if you value advocacy, communications, timely information, CDE, and the community that SKCDS provides please rejoin the ranks and ask for a temporary dues waiver for 2021.

Things to be thankful for in 2021 as we turn the page on an eventful 2020: DQAC authorization and UWSOD training modules for vaccination. SKCDS volunteers administering vaccinations to others where “it is better to give, then to receive”. Dr. Theresa Cheng for being awarded the ADA Humanitarian Award for Everyone for Veterans. President Austin Baruffi and SKCDS’s Executive Council: Drs. Lisa Egbert, Adam Kennedy, Scott Parker, Katie DeWood, Libby Kutcipal, Mark Egbert, Joe Vaughn, Amanda Spivey, Kate Christian, Emily Yepez and Rica Mackert for their tireless work on dentistry’s behalf before, during and though this crisis. SKCDF partnership with SKCDS Access committee and other partners in putting together a comprehensive action plan that I believe will energize our members to roll up their sleeves and effect the changes to help all of King County. Workforce task force in partnership with Delta Dental to start addressing pressing staff shortages that are hampering practices from delivering even more dental care. Opportunities to help expand the Shoreline RDH program at the UW SOD. Finally, receiving my second dose of COVID vaccine – and maybe, just maybe – at the end, being rewarded with a lollipop for being good.

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Please welcome our new members OCTOBER

Dr. Ibraheem Al Naqshabandy Dr. Robert A Beaty Dr. Caitlin Busbee Dr. Chris W Chen Dr. Stanford L Chen Dr. Kyung H. Cho Dr. Jennifer Z Colbert Dr. Garrett G Gentling Dr. Rosalyn Ha Dr. Mark B Herzog Dr. Min-Hsiung Huang Dr. B. Evan Kang Dr. Albert L Kang Dr. Eunkoo Kim Dr. Jahyun Koo Dr. Karla M Kreger Dr. Mary M Lee

Dr. Samantha E Lee-Chiu Dr. Jessica Mehta Dr. Roselind S Nam Dr. Negin Nazarian Dr. Rodney Nishimoto Dr. Abayantika Ranjitkar Dr. Abby Gail Shalaby Dr. Belinda Song Dr. Parham Tabar Dr. Bernardo E Taina Dr. Christopher R Trippel Dr. Gloria E Tucker Dr. Katherine Wang Dr. Ruei-Hua Wang Dr. Grant Wong Dr. Fan Zhang

NOVEMBER

Dr. Mary Elise Fox Dr. Akanksha Gupta Dr. Anthony Ho Dr. Gurveen Khatkar Dr. James Kuei Dr. Rebecca Liu Dr. Cara Mang Dr. Janina McGill Dr. Yu B Ong

DECEMBER

Dr. Paul L Alota Dr. Benjamin Chang Dr. Yogesh Goel Dr. Kotschai Hemat Dr. Vicky A Herrera Dr. Paul Kennedy Dr. Malinda Lam-Gershony Dr. Kevin C Leung Dr. David Obenchain Dr. Victor B Shih Dr. Tony Sieu Dr. Pamela D Solhaug Dr. Dennis B Wang Dr. Robert P Ward Dr. Kanton M Wong Dr. Idin Zhaledoust Sani

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A Life of Service Marks Dr. Cheng’s “Second Act” Retirement is not Exactly Restful but Very Rewarding.

Dr. Theresa Cheng was recently honored by the American Dental Association as the 2021 Humanitarian of the Year, for her tireless work with Everyone for Veterans (E4V). After 28 years in practice as a periodontist, Dr. Cheng retired to spend more time with her family and teach at the University of Washington School of Dentistry. But life had other plans! Several years before, Dr. Cheng became increasingly aware of the dental needs of our military veterans. As Dr. Cheng states, “Needless to say, my retirement didn’t go the way I envisioned, but in a good way! I was planning to sit back and relax, and thoroughly enjoyed that for a short while.”

We are hearing a lot in the media about retirees starting “second acts” or para-careers, after retirement from their life’s profession. Dr. Cheng tells us “I was certainly not aware that I was starting a “second act”. I just couldn’t turn down the requests of these very deserving men and women. For a while, I kept telling myself that this one will be the last case, but then another case would come along with a gut-wrenching veteran life story and I couldn’t refuse.” She goes on to say, “It was a huge learning curve for me initially, as I didn’t have any veteran background or connections, to really grasp what veteran challenges are like.” She read about all the things the Veteran’s Administration was doing, like people taking veterans on free fishing trips or activities, or all the veteran discounts offered at stores. Like many, she assumed the veterans were taken care of. However, she quickly learned that very few veterans have gone on those free trips and most cannot afford the purchases that provide the discounts. “Clearly, a lot more needs to be done for our veterans to be healthy.”

Her “second act” began in 2008 when Dr. Cheng was inspired by the story of a local Iraq veteran, gravely injured by an IED. She than decided to provide free dental care to combat vets and the people who are caring for our heroes. What began as one dentist helping one veteran at a time, has blossomed into an organization that has served 550 individuals since it’s modest beginnings 8 l 2021 SKCDS WINTER QUARTERLY

in 2008. At the encouragement of Jennifer Freimund, former Executive Director of the SeattleKing County Dental Society, Dr. Cheng investigated creating a non-profit organization. Today, E4V is a full-fledged 501(c)(3) organization with Dr. Cheng as President. The Board of Directors represents a broad cross section of the community.

Their mission is to improve the quality of life of veterans by connecting them to their communities for services and goods. T​hey welcome a diverse and inclusive environment for all veterans and volunteers. Initially, the focus of the organization was to provide dental assistance to vets and their families. As time went on, it became apparent that other services were needed. I asked Dr. Cheng

Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) to offer optometry services as well. Another significant addition to the program has been helping the spouses of veterans. Spouses frequently have no dental benefits. Since a spouse may be the primary care giver, their needs are vital, but often overlooked. Dr. Cheng says “We’ve learned that the spouses really hold the family together… managing the veteran with all the physical and psychological challenges. They also have very minimal benefits. When we help the spouses, it really makes the veterans feel good. ”Dr. Cheng’s life is one of service. She was honored as co-recipient of the Washington State Dental Association’s (WSDA) Citizen of the Year,

Dr. Cheng on the far right,and E4V volunteers recently how Everyone for Veterans has expanded in 1999, for her work with Washington Women beyond just dental help. in Need. She was a Board member for 7 years helping low-income women with education, “When we interview veterans in the qualifying health, and dental care. One of her proudest process, we ask about their situation and invariably professional memories was helping a patient, learn of other needs that can improve their lives who was a very heavy smoker, quit smoking. The significantly.” Everyone for Veterans has worked patient credits Dr. Cheng with helping her give up with community partners to provide things like a the habit when she didn’t have the confidence free gym membership so a vet can stay physically to do it herself. In 2019 Dr. Cheng was again healthy, or something as simple as a shoe rack honored by the WSDA for her work with Everyone to help with clutter control and reduce anxiety. for Veterans. Additionally, Everyone for Veterans “We decided to introduce a program to connect was recently recognized by BECU with a grant individuals or businesses to provide free services or of $30,000. Dr. Cheng tells us, “The theme of goods that will address other needs and continue to this BECU grant is People helping People. They improve the veteran’s life.” Everyone for Veterans invite people to nominate their favorite nonprofit is also partnering with International Volunteer (Continued on page 9)

organizations who helped people in at least one of the counties where BECU has a presence. E4V helped people in almost all of the counties that BECU is in. Our nominator is one of our Board members, and based on her message about what E4V does, we were picked as one of BECU finalists. E4V was very fortunate to receive the BECU employee’s choice award, the third highest award. A big thank you to the dentists in all those counties helping veterans and thank you to all who voted for E4V!” What is the Wingman Program?

The term Wingman is used in the Air force for a pilot in a plane that flies just outside and behind the right wing of the leading aircraft in a flight formation, to provide protective support. Dr. Cheng explains “When a veteran in your community is in need, E4V will let you know what the need is. This is called

DID YOU KNOW: • Most combat veterans don’t receive dental benefits from the VA unless they are 100% service disabled.

• Spouses, who hold the family together, don’t receive dental benefits.

• Most combat veterans suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).

• Combat veterans have often described returning to civilian life as more difficult than combat itself.

• 22 veterans commit suicide every day. That’s more than those who actually die while in combat.

“The mission.” If a volunteer chooses to take the mission, E4V will introduce them to the veteran (virtually), and they can work to “accomplish the mission”. This can be a really fun and rewarding way to give back when you are addressing a practical and individualized need in their life.

Examples of missions accomplished are many and varied. Even when donating food, it is individualized to the veteran, ordering the food they chose to be shipped to their doors.” Offering such choices recognizes that vets can have power in managing their nutrition. Community connection has been shown to be instrumental in helping combat veterans feel less isolated, more hopeful, and feel more at home in their community. These engagements can improve their PTSD situation and prevent suicide.

Wingman volunteers often involve friends, family, churches, co-workers, book clubs and any of their social circles to accomplish the mission. This collaborative aspect has been reported to be a satisfying social event for the wingman participants.

How Can We Participate?

The growth of E4V is very grassroots and speaks to the power of how a few can help many. Dr. Cheng says “The vision for E4V is that veterans who return from combat feel at home in their communities. We have a long way to go to raise awareness of what and how important it is for the welfare of our combat veterans, that the community is there for them. Veteran issues are typically not on people’s radar.” Because the organization is completely volunteer based, there is a need for administrative help, as well. As the organization grows and serves more people, there are always databases to maintain, and organize, and lots of follow-up calls to be made. Community involvement can be one of the most effective ways to help combat veterans feel at home. It shows them that we haven’t forgotten about them and that we truly appreciate their sacrifices. “We are working with dental schools and dental societies to continually be the leaders in this message to care for the men and women who return from combat.” Volunteering is not limited to providing dental work.

Dental office staff can support a vet as a dental team-building experience.

More information, and the opportunity to sign up, can be found at, https:// www.everyoneforveterans.org/be-a-wingman.html If you know of a dentist who would like to contribute their services, or if you know of a combat veteran who may need assistance, go to the Everyone for Veterans website for more information.

The Seattle-King County Dental Society is proud to consider Dr. Theresa Cheng one of our own. She is a 36-year member of organized dentistry, and tireless advocate for those in need. She continues to inspire us with her “second act” reaching our military heroes throughout Washington.

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Electronic Voting for 2021 – 2022: Election & Installation Set for Tuesday, April 27, 2021

The response to electronic voting has been so positive over the past five years that your Dental Society will again be emailing you an electronic ballot to the email address at which you currently receive our weekly newsletter. (For those of you for whom we do not have an email address, please see the bottom of this article.) This is the last year we will provide a printed ballot to any members. Please be aware that next year all voting will be done electronically. In accordance with the Seattle-King County Dental Society Bylaws, ballots for the 2021-2022, Elective Office openings will be emailed from the Central Office no later than March 30, 2021. Your ballot is individualized and can only be opened by you. You will receive two reminder emails after that initial ballot. Please vote and make sure your voice is heard!

The ballots must be cast by 1:00 p.m. on April 27, 2021, so they may be presented at the General Membership meeting to be held virtually on April 27th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. (Please see the meeting registration information on our website at www.skcds.org. and information on page 19 of this publication.)

Please be sure to return your ballot by email prior to the deadline of April 27th. Ballots - electronic or paper - that are received the day following the election will not be counted. We want to hear from every member so please vote before the deadline! The following (as of press time) is the slate to be presented by Dr. Libby Kutcipal, Chair of the Leadership Development Committee: President-elect: One opening – one year term, automatically becomes President & three-year WSDA Delegate term: Dr. Christine Kirchner, General Dentist, from Seattle Delegates to the WSDA: Up to 7 openings for three-year terms and one Executive Council: Four openings; three for 3-year terms and one for a 2-year term: opening for a 1-year term (seats set by WSDA in January based on membership): Dr. Luciana Safioti Dr. Christopher Jean Dr. Lisa Egbert Dr. Sampada Deshpande Dr. Jesutofumi Osundeko Dr. Lauren Ma Dr. Melanie Lang Dr. Chris Shuye Dr. Kerry Streiff Dr. Brigitte Higgins Dr. Christina Pham Dr. Christine Shigaki Dr. Isabella Amar Dr. Elena Andronova Dr. Nandita Lilly Dr. Navid Farzadfar Please note that the Bylaws state the Executive Council and Delegates to the WSDA candidates will appear on the ballot in a random order as drawn by the Leadership Committee Chair. This change was made to allow everyone an equal chance in elections when the election is contested.

During the general membership meeting on Tuesday, January 26th, Dr. Austin Baruffi opened the floor for any additional nominations that a member would like to make. After that meeting, nominations are closed.

Members for whom we do not have email addresses will have an individualized paper ballot mailed to their preferred address unless they asked to be removed from the ballot mailing list. Those members will need to mail the ballot back to the Central Office by April 27th. If you would like to receive an electronic ballot and know we don’t have an email address for you, please call us at 206.448.6620 before March 26, 2021 and provide an email address.

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A NO BRAINER… The practice for sale below is on the waterfront in Mukilteo, Washington. Is there a dentist who 11:42 dares to ditch 12/7/20 AM the production/collection/active patient algorithms and rely on their own ability, skills, personality, and vision? Just open the doors and watch the patients flow in to this dream practice and enjoy the lucrative career you have always dreamed of having.

2020 SKCDS Ad Winter FINAL.indd 1

This 3-op (plumbed for 4) fully loaded practice with nitrous plumbed throughout, Forest® massaging dental chairs with custom bronze powder coated hardware, solid surface epoxy floors (resembling marble), and panoramic Puget Sound Views took over $600k to build. The office is centrally located, highly visible, and a place where people like to be. The dentist who designed and built this practice spared no expense to make it a place where she would enjoy spending time (8+ hours a day) and many anxious patients could find solace in the peaceful atmosphere. How many dental offices can truly say patients look forward to their visits?

A NO BRAINER This practice for sale below is on the waterfront in Mukilteo, Washington. Is there a dentist who dares to ditch the production/collection/active patient algorithms and rely on their own ability, skills, personality, and vision? Just open the doors and watch the patients flow in to this dream practice and enjoy the lucrative career you have always dreamed of having. The 3-op (plumbed for 4) fully loaded with the nitrous plumbed throughout. Forest® massaging dental chairs with bronze powder coated hardware, solid surface epoxy floors (resembling marble) and panoramic Puget Sound views took over 6000k to build. The office is centrally located, highly visible, and a place where people like to be. The dentist who designed and built this practice spared no expense to make it a place where she would enjoy spending time (8+ hours a day and many anxious patients could find solace in the peaceful atmosphere. How many dental offices can truly say patients look forward to their visits?

This Mulkilteo office is up for sale at a highly reduced price for a quick sale.

The owner has relocated out of state with her 2 kids after the premature and tragic death of her husband. Respectfully speaking, this is a situation where one’s loss could be your gain!

This Mukilteo office is up for sale for at a highly reduced price for a quick sale. The owner has relocated out of state with her 2 kids after the premature and tragic death of her husband. Respectfully speaking, this is a situation where one’s loss could be your gain!

For more information please contact: Lindsey Pierce (425) 466-8595

For more information please contact Lindsey Pierce (425) 466-8595

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New Dentist Program 2021

It is a New Year and time for resolutions. We suggest you resolve to take your practice management knowledge to the next level! The annual New Dentist Program offers great speakers, and two CE credits – all for free! This is a resolution that won’t be hard to keep. You might be wondering if you qualify as a “new” dentist? Well, if you are under the age of 40 years or you have been out of school for 10 years or less, then you qualify! The 2021 New Dentist Program offers a wide variety of practice management topics for the young, practicing dentist and the dental student.

We began on Tuesday, January 19, with Dr. Nathan Suter speaking on Teledentistry;The Bigger Picture. Teledentistry is more than just triaging patients. In this course we learned a broader understanding of teledentistry as a tool to serve multiple aspects of your practice. Every practice is different and with teledentistry you can adapt to the changing environment and offer more possible ways to create value for your patients. Nathan Suter, is a practicing dentist, teledentistry enthusiast, CEO of Access Teledentistry, and co-founder of Healier. He is passionate about solving problems that can help create access to dental care. He began his career in public health developing programs that serve underserved communities. He was awarded 2019 Missouri Dentist of the year by the Missouri Dental Association and awarded ADA’s 2020 Top 10 Dentist Under 10 Years in practice. That experience has allowed him to see the gaps in our dental care delivery system. He is an advocate in disrupting the system by leveraging technology and bringing ideas that are outside the box and innovative. Special thanks to our sponsor, Arcora Foundation.

On Tuesday, March 16th we will welcome a panel of young dentists talking about The Importance of Study Clubs and What They Can Do for Your Career. We all know that learning does not, and should not, stop with dental school graduation. “Lifelong student” is an understatement, as most of us spend our entire careers on a journey of learning and exploration. One of the most valuable resources that we have available to us is the opportunity to join a study club. Not only does it set us on a pathway of learning, it facilitates a close-knit network of peers and colleagues who care about you and who want to see you succeed. Please join us for this insightful panel discussion from three fantastic leaders in our local dental community who are also leaders of their respective study clubs. They will discuss their careers, advice on the plethora of available CE, and all things study clubs! This is meant to be a two-way conversation, and so we encourage you to submit any questions you have via email to Joe Vaughn, our moderator for this event, at jkvaughn44@gmail.com. Special thanks to our sponsor, Nakanishi Dental Laboratory, Inc. Saturday, April 24th is the annual New Dentist Boot Camp - New Dentists Boot Camp: Re-Imagined. Join the SKCDS and New Dentist Business Club as they present a 1/2+ day workshop focused on the business side of dentistry! Get the tools and resources you need to acquire or start a practice, hire your advisory team, understand leases and more. Learn from other new dentists on their associateship, ownership, and practice search experience. Network and mingle with mentors and friends who can support you in your journey after dental school. If you are a dental student or new dentist, you don’t want to miss this! For those who have attended in the past, there is more to learn and new speakers participating this year. The program begins at 9:00 AM. Thanks to our sponsor, Cintas.

On Tuesday, May 18th, we will host a panel discussion on Foreign Trained Dentists: Opportunities and Life after DDS. This program is a panel discussion amongst UW IDDS graduates and faculty. Are you one of the many foreign trained dentists based in the Pacific Northwest? Do you have questions like, ‘Will I lose my job if I don’t get an H1-B sponsorship?’, ‘How do I ensure I am getting the right market pay compared to other graduates?’ and ‘What are my options for acquiring a practice after a DDS?’ Attend this panel discussion amongst UW IDDS graduates, to have your questions answered. SKCDS’s panel of presenters will also address the importance of networking, mentorship, associateship positions and contractual obligations. Whether you are a fellow Husky or not, this discussion will point you to important resources in the area. Not a foreign trained dentist but would like to understand some of our concerns? We encourage you to join us and support our inclusive community of foreign educated dentists!

We round out the series with a program on Wednesday, June 2nd. Tune in for the “Good, Bad, and Ugly.” Hear stories of real-life victories and disasters in dental practices and how they resolved them. Hear shared experiences that will help you navigate practice ownership, associateships and more. Just when you think you’ve heard it all, we have the inside scoop on what things are really like as a practicing dentist. Due to the subject nature of this presentation, it will not be recorded. So, the only way to learn from these dentists shared experiences is to attend their presentation.

Many thanks to all our 2021 New Dentist program sponsors. Without the following vendors, we would not be able to present the high quality of programs that we do.

Thanks to: Cintas, Nakanishi Labs and WDIA. The New Dentist program is offered once a month between January and June. All events begin at 6:30 and conclude by 9:00 PM. The events are free, but reservations are strongly encouraged. You can register online at www.skcds.org.

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4.0 Transitions by: Practice Management Assocates Good News for Practice Acquisitions!

• Dental practice values remain strong through COVID-19 • It continues to be a Seller’s Market • We have qualified buyers looking all over Washington • Sellers receive 100% cash out at closing • 2020 weaker revenue due to office closures can be mitigated

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Idle Time

By Al Munk DDS With COVID and all, we have more idle time. We can’t go to restaurants or movies. We can’t go to the health club. We do very little socializing with friends and relatives. We don’t travel to Hawaii to lay on the beach and play golf. We don’t go to Palm Springs to go to dental continuing education. So just what do we do? We lay around and eat. We lay around and watch TV. Should have bought Netflix stock six months ago. Someone coined the phrase, “the COVID 15” relating to the 15 pounds we all gained in the last 6 months.

get into teenage sorts of trouble The big problem is that during the reading, I have to pay attention, then after the reading I have to express my opinion.

I have the attention span of a gnat, so my mind sometimes wanders during these nightly sessions. Then when it is time for my critique, I must walk a dangerous tightrope. If I tell her it was great, she always says—Tell what you really think. If I tell her what I really think, sometimes I have to sleep on the couch that night. I have recently tried running out of the room right after she finishes reading. That seldom works as she is pretty fast for a So what have I been doing? Mostly laying around eating and watching TV. It skinny wife. If my next article is about divorce, this will no doubt be the root is getting a little old. I did clean out my garage and took a load to the dump. cause for that event.

That was about the most fun I have had in a month. Cleaning Other things I have not done during the big Idle Time, is to get in better out one’s garage is a bit of physical shape. I have great intentions and poor execution. I have not gotten a historical archaeological better at golf, even though I have watched a lot of golf on TV. Somehow, expedition. I found stuff that that contributes little to my athletic ability. I read about a young man recently had been collecting dust for who read 85 books last awhile. I found dentoforms from dental school. I found my Ney Surveyor, for year. This may inspire making RPD’s. Anyone need one? I found mouse nests and mouse droppings me to read more and and mouse stashes of seeds and nuts. It’s been so long since I cleaned out exercise more. I feel the garage, I didn’t find any mice as they have apparently all gone to that big like this COVID thing has mouse nest in the sky. There were a few treasures. I found a box of letters put us all in neutral. I that girls wrote to me back when I was single. Remember when we used to think we all need to write letters? In twenty years, how will our younger brethren discover a box of shift our butts into gear, text messages from their former girlfriends? and step on the gas. I got my first COVID shot I haven’t gotten around to reading any of those letters yet, but I intend to do last week. Think how so sometime when the wife is not around. She is also a writer, but I doubt pathetic our lives have she would find any literary merit in reading 50 year old letters from my former become when we look girlfriends. Which brings me to another thing I have not been doing much— forward to getting a shot! writing. With all this Idle Time, one would think that the writing muse would have spurred me to produce some sort of creative documents. Alas, the COVID So let’s all wake up—it’s a new year, with new goals, a new President, doldrums have affected that part of me as well. I am writing this piece (as and new chances to be happy, healthy, and make the world a better place. usual) the night before it is due.

That’s all for now from Ballard.

The wife, however, has been producing words by the truck load. She is a fiction writer, and writing teacher, a poet, playwright, you name it. She does not have writer’s block, more accurately, writer’s diarrhea. The words just flow out of her mind like water. This is mostly a good thing. The only bad thing is she insists in involving me in her daily output. We have developed a tradition that if she writes a chapter, I have to sit down near her as she reads the whole chapter. This is generally entertaining, as her protagonists are teenagers who

EXPOSURES

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official policy of the Seattle-King County Dental Society.

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