Your Membership

ODA EDITORIAL

Your Membership

Mary Hamburg, DDS ODA Journal Editor

The practice of dentistry is lifelong. Lifelong in that individuals know it extends the entire duration of their life and seeps into every aspect of their life. This understanding by those who have chosen the profession or that the profession chose them, also comes with knowing that the growth of their career will require learning different skills and gaining new knowledge throughout their life. A tripartite membership is fine-tuned to provide opportunities for gaining these skills and knowledge while supporting us, dental practitioners, in every aspect of our lifelong journeys. If you’re reading this, you are more than likely a member of this wonderful tripartite, and I hope you have experienced this support wherever you are in your lifelong commitment. The most obvious benefit of membership is that it ensures a community of dental nerds is there for us. I am sure all our families appreciate this benefit, too, and feel it is a gift for them, as it provides us with opportunities to discuss the latest research on adhesives with someone who cares instead of with our families over dinner. Additionally, local and state meetings provide havens where we can have these nerdy conversations, provide and receive mentorship, and gives us opportunities to geek out on composite restorations. I honestly can say this is one of my favorite benefits of membership, GEEKING OUT WITH ALL OF YOU!

I must mention that another benefit of membership is the opportunity to showcase your latest cases in this journal! Instead of trying to find the pictures on your phone, you can have them right there in print within the state’s only dental journal. Plus, membership supplies a wealth of continuing education opportunities throughout the year and non-dentalrelated events. Take an event like “Bikes and Brews,” for example: while yes, this is an opportunity to come together and relax with your peers, it is also a great chance to explore retirement options, such as starting your own brewing or trying your legs as a professional bicyclist. There is also yoga if you’re looking for a more calming event. Between seeing patients, collaborating with team members, and reading all the dental magazines piling up on your desk, it’s nice to escape into a Downward Facing Dog. A tripartite membership also means that a community has your back on the national, state, and local levels. Your membership dues enable the ADA and ODA to advocate for good dental practices nationally, statewide, and locally - laws that benefit you, your practice, and your patients. Ever want to stick it to the man? Being a member and paying dues is one of the easiest ways to join the fight! While we need you to be active in the fight, your membership gives us an even louder voice. Also, the ODA Rewards Partners Program provides the best cost for products and services saves and you from having to buy from eBay to keep overhead down. You can sleep well knowing the products are good and the prices are better. Your ODA community does the work for you. As your dental career grows or maybe as you approach retirement, membership in this exclusive community of dental clinicians is ready to support you wherever you are in your unique lifelong journey. This includes help with contracts at the start of your career, mediation support for practice disputes, and access to the Relief and Disaster Grant Program if your practice is ever destroyed. Membership also grants you access to experts who can help navigate third-party payer questions and access to online classifieds on which to post a job or sell your practice on the ODA website for FREE, not to mention access to this ODA journal, the only magazine in your pile that is read from cover to cover. Finally, because I am running out of print space, membership in the local, state, and national organizations is achieved by paying one membership fee. It’s a 3-for-1 deal that only the ODA Rewards program can match, so renew or join today! It is that time of year, so just add it to the To-Do list and receive all the perks for 2023! While you’re at it, encourage that colleague of yours who may have been on the fence about joining to become a member and help grow our community of dental nerds.