Member Spotlight - Brenda Valliere

Dentist, Spouse and Mother, this member does it all - Meet Brenda Valliere

Emily: Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences, how long have you been a member of the Alliance?

Brenda: About seven years!

Emily: I understand that not only is your husband and father a dentist but that you are also a dentist yourself. What made you decide to join the Alliance?

Brenda: Initially I was drawn to the Alliance by the memories I have of my mother and her membership in the Isaac Knapp Dental Auxilliary. She enjoyed the friendships she made and all of the fun she had participating in the “Auxilliary” events and projects.

I have been very active in the local and state dental associations (IKDDS and IDA), and was pleased to serve as the first woman president of IKDDS. The excellent professional support of the ADA tripartite has been very helpful as a practicing dentist. As I got to know the dentists in northeast Indiana, I also got acquainted with their spouses. I became interested in the Alliance events at the local and state meetings, and attended my first AIDA Membership Luncheon about seven years ago. Of course, once I became acquainted with some of the AIDA leadership, it became increasingly difficult to say no to their invitations to participate! I have really enjoyed the events the Alliance has sponsored…they are a lot of fun combined with a service component!

 

Joan Lawrence, IN and Brenda Valliere, IN Convention 2012, San Francisco, CA

Emily: What projects or events have you participated in with the Alliance?

Brenda: Oh my…there have been quite a few. I really enjoy the monthly Alliance events we have with our Isaac Knapp component…everything from fundraisers for local educational projects and “We’ve Got You Covered” events to apron fashion shows and holiday dinner dances. And now I look forward to the IDA Alliance events at our annual session, especially the Membership Brunch.

As a dentist (and previous dental hygienist) professionally, I really like the dental educational component of the Alliance, as well as the legislative events. Of course, as a woman, wife and mother, I thoroughly enjoy the social events and the friendships that I have developed with the other dental families.

Emily: What has been your favorite Alliance project or event you have experienced?

Brenda: I think the most interesting event I have participated in was the Dental Day at the Capital meeting at the Indiana Statehouse this past January. However, my husband and I have thoroughly enjoyed the Alliance conferences in Phoenix, Richmond and Atlanta these last three years…educational, fun and rejuvenating!

Emily: You became the president of your state Alliance in 2012, are you excited to lead the group?

Brenda: Yes, I am very excited to be the president of the Alliance of the Indiana Dental Association. I really enjoy working with all of the dental spouses from across the state. We have such great leaders who are always willing to step up and help, no matter what the project requires! I have very big shoes to fill, as I follow Connie Slyby, our past-president. Hopefully I can provide the leadership and direction that the AIDA needs this year.

Brenda and Maxi Merkel, IN

My greatest pleasure is working with the other dental spouses. It is especially nice for me, as my step-mom, Maxi Merkel has become involved with the Alliance and we get to enjoy these events and projects together. I really enjoyed representing the AIDA at the AADA Convention in San Francisco last October. This is a pivotal time for the Alliance and I am excited to be involved.

Emily: What advice would you give a brand new member of the Alliance?

Brenda: I would recommend that they just jump in and get involved! Even if they just attend local events, it is a great way to develop friendships with other dental families. The Alliance goals are geared to support the profession of dentistry and the individual dental families, so there is always a lot of information that is helpful to any dental spouse. In addition, it is a lot of fun, so get involved! When they ask for volunteers, take a risk and say “yes”. You will be very glad you did!

Emily: Just for fun, If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and why?

Brenda: I would love to go to Greece. I love history and the photos I have seen are fabulous, with the ancient architecture, the friendly people, delicious food together with the mountains and ocean! It sounds like a perfect spot for a vacation!

Emily: Thanks Brenda!

Help Us Reach Our Goals in 2013

Idea of the Month - Help us get ready for Head-to-Toe in New Orleans!

We encourage you to promote Head-to-Toe within your local and state organizations starting now. Catch the holiday and after-winter sales for hats, socks, combs, barrettes, small books, lip balm, toothbrushes and toothpaste. Then package your goodies and ship them to AADA Central Office before October 2013. This project is perfect for any Alliance or organization 
looking for a way to give back. 
 
The membership Council has chosen to support the Metropolitan Center for Women & Children (METRO) during the 2013 Convention. METRO serves the greater New Orleans area by providing a crisis line, counseling and many other essential services for victims of abuse.

Find more details at AllianceADA.org

Convention Recap

San Francisco, CA

If you weren't able to attend this year, you missed a lot, and we missed you!

Friday Oct. 19 we celebrated the accomplishments of seven very talented individuals at the Thelma J Neff Distinguished Service Awards. Thank you for your continued service to the Alliance!

Stephanie Test, Jane Binns, Joyce Hashimoto, Janelle Kauffman and Johanna Manasse, not pictured:  Melissa Voler and Tonya Shupe.

Later that evening we gathered at The View to relax and enjoy some time with friends, thanks Laurie Osborn and the Membership Council for organizing the fun!

Saturday Oct. 20 began with the AADA/ADPAC breakfast, 50 members from states all over the country were awarded for their efforts throughout the year, thanks for all of your hard work!

Megan Beatty, Teresa Theurer, Sue Gardener, Debbie Torbush and Nancy Uhlmansiek accepting awards

 
The House of Delegates was a productive meeting indeed, the Alliance conducted business efficiently, had a chance for some Q & A with ADA Executive Director Dr. Kathleen O'Loughlin and voted in a new mission statement!

Mission Statement
 The Alliance of the American Dental Association is a volunteer organization that supports its members and values its  partnership with the American Dental Association in advancing the oral health of the public.

Convention wrapped up with a reception celebrating out-going President, Debbie Torbush and in-coming President, Patsy Dumas!

The Foundation for Dental Health Education held a raffle raising $3034.00 for the Foundation! Judy Addabbo was the winner of a fancy new iPad, congratulations Judy!

 

We hope to see everyone at Convention 2013 in New Orleans!  

The Alliance is planning something HUGE!

For more Convention photos, visit us on Facebook or Flickr!  

This Idea of the Month is an Award Winner!

This month, try an idea that wins awards - the Alliance of the Utah Dental Association took it upon themselves to make dental health kits available to every school in their state and so can you!

Representatives from the Alliance of the Utah Dental Association

Purpose:

To get dental health kits to every school district in Utah.

Volunteers:  7

Volunteer Hours:  40

Total Cost:  $2500.00

People Reached:  Thousands

Project Description:

In the past, there has been access to dental health kits in the media centers and in private homes of Alliance members in the major metropolitan areas of Utah. Teachers and dental family members have used them for classroom presentations. This year our state Alliance decided that it would be great to have these kits available for the benefit of the children in all areas of our state.

We applied for a FDHE grant and we were awarded $1000 to help with the project. We put together 25 kits containing: Large set of teeth and large toothbrush, ten test tubes of sugar showing the content in certain foods and a wooden holder for the test tubes, a germ puppet, an apron with two pockets (used to show examples of good and bad foods or used to show items from a dentist's office), two silk screened T-shirts with a happy tooth used to show how to floss, ADA book "Smile Starts," Book "Ready, Set, Brush" from the AADA, a lesson plan and reproducibles.

We contacted 25 school districts in rural Utah to ask them where to send the kit and to make them aware it would be coming. We assembled them, packed them in shipping boxes and sent them through UPS. The cost of each one including shipping came to, $92. We sent letters to every elementary school in Utah to let the teachers know that these kits were available. The kits were mailed in January, so they could be used during National Dental Health Month in February.

The Utah Dental Association sends a magazine to all members in Utah called the "UDAction." In March's edition, I wrote an article encouraging dentists to teach dental health in an elementary school classroom. I told them about the availability of the dental health kits throughout the state.

At our Utah Alliance convention luncheon in February, we had a dental health project. We assembled an additional item to go into the kits. It consists of a metal cookie sheet, with a vinyl white tooth outline on it. We cut out a variety of laminated foods. Those that are sugary and sticky, we put a magnet on the back and those that are good for teeth have no magnet. This will teach that sugary foods stick to our teeth and may cause decay if not properly cleaned off. This project cost $400.

Amazing work indeed, find the full project details and keep an eye out for future member projects at AllianceADA.org - just click on the idea button and be ready to be inspired!

This year 50 Alliance members received Member Project Awards for creative, informative and innovative projects.

Wendy Zent, Mary Ellen Psaltis, Molly Bickford, Patsy Dumas, and Debbie Torbush 

To get a copy of the Member Project Award CD with instructions on how to complete any of the award winning projects just email Emily in the Central Office. Emily@AllianceADA.org

Are you ready for the 57th Annual AADA Convention?

Convention 2012

 

There is still time to invite a friend to the meet and greet at The View, Friday from 5-6pm, any and all dental spouses can attend this FREE event to get to know like-minded individuals from around the country! If you haven’t already, email Emily@AllianceADA.org to let me know you’ll be there.

 

We want to invite you all to participate in as many AADA Convention activities as possible, all members are welcome to attend District Caucus meetings, the Reference Committee Hearing and the House of Delegates, you do not need to be a delegate to attend. We would also love to see everyone at the Presidents’ reception honoring outgoing President Debbie Torbush and incoming President Patsy Dumas!

Just a heads up, if you are planning a Dental Health Education project next year the deadline for the FDHE Grant Application is November 1, don’t miss out on this opportunity!

I will see you all soon, safe travels!