TRIPARTITE NEWS
Exercising Your Voice in Organized Dentistry By Greg Hill, JD, CAE, CDA Executive Director
I
magine a young dentist in 1968 who designed a state-
the marketplace. The board of trustees must be the driving force in how we
of-the-art dental practice, fit with the top-of-the-line
understand and react to a continuously evolving profession, the increasing
equipment, sleek mid-century design, a trendy avocado
external regulations and auditing requirements we face, and still provide the
green color and wood panels throughout the office and began
foresight that will allow the association to remain at the top of its profession
their practice with a business model designed on 1968’s best
for years to come.
dental office management practices. Now imagine that same dentist continuing to practice in 2021 with that same design, equipment and
These competencies we are talking about as a board include critical judgement
philosophy.
and decision-making skills, exemplifying integrity, leading and managing change, risk management, and strategic vision and thinking. This framework
Seems rather preposterous, right? What kind of business would be unwilling
is also called the “13 Best.” The idea that the members of the board are among
to change their business model to keep current with research, design and best
the best leaders available to serve based on the expertise they contribute. These
practices? What aspect of a business model has not changed in 53 years that
board members are sensitive to regional, special interest, and the high priority
needs to be modernized?
needs of the membership, but not seated based solely on geography. The objective is to leverage the boards’ competencies to drive
What if I were to tell you that the business I am describing is not a dental office, but instead the governance of organized dentistry? In many ways, the framework by which organized dentistry operates is built on the same “practice” philosophy of 1968 when the current structure was put into place - regionally elected trustees; component societies, each with their own corporate legal structure; a House of Delegates, which establishes all the organization’s policy, yet only meets to create policy once a year. Some of you are thinking because we want to make change means we want to take away your
"What aspect of a business model has not changed in 53 years that needs to be modernized? What if I were to tell you that the business I am describing is not a dental office, but instead the governance of organized dentistry?"
the organization's performance. Imagine a basketball team with thirteen point guards – you may be able to run a very fast and nimble offense, but you are most likely going to be a very poor rebounding team and good luck blocking shots from a seven-foot center. A board not only needs the competencies above, but also diversity in practice model, age, race, gender, unique knowledge such as dental school faculty, a background in understanding dental service organization operations plus a curiosity and understanding of the external drivers of change in the dental industry.
voice and your ability to engage in your association. That could not be further from the truth. We see inefficiencies in this design and
The Board of Trustees and your elected officers have tried to draw attention
better ways to ensure that your voice, along with every other voice, is heard.
to these challenges and to build a new, modernized practice philosophy, to allow us to be a better association, representing all dentists. The board recently
Association management research has provided a business model for non-
created a Council on Component Leaders. This council is designed to give
profit boards of directors built on what is referred to as a “competency-based
the components true representation to the board and a larger voice to the
board.” We’ve floated this idea and some of the feedback we have received
concerns of the grassroots members. This council is in place so the needs
is members don’t like the word ‘competency’ because it implies that you are
and challenges of all members can be voiced through component leadership
either competent to serve on the board or that you are incompetent. The
directly to the board or to the House of Delegates.
term doesn’t refer to the individuals who serve, but rather to the needs of the board – the competencies it needs as a body to see and understand the
Additionally, we are working to draw attention to the powers and duties of the
full scope of organizational needs that we as an association and a non-profit
House of Delegates (HOD). The HOD has a critical role to play in organized
corporation must resolve and oversee. These issues include direct dental
dentistry. It creates the policy by which the board and councils operate. It’s
practice concerns – workforce shortages, dental insurance, regulations – but
the “what position does the CDA have on?” body. Without direction from
also include understanding innovations driving changes in the operations of a
the HOD, the board is limited in what it can do. The Board of Trustees is not
dental practice from both the private sector and through dental education. It
a legislative body, it can only create organizational policy if it is necessary for
includes understanding how to protect and safeguard our intellectual property
the operations of the association. In other words, it can’t decide itself what the
and IT framework, overseeing the associations investments and identifying
association’s position is on workforce expansion, dental insurance reform or
new revenue sources, which enable us to keep your dues low. It includes
even mid-level providers. This must come from the House of Delegates, not
linking the dental practice needs of each member to business solutions in
because the board doesn’t want to take this responsibility, but because it can’t.
I
22 4th Quarter 2021 mddsdentist.com
