Mouth Healthy For Life!

MouthHealthy.org Now Live

The ADA's new website for the public, MouthHealthy.org, is now live, providing timely and credible oral health information on prevention, care and treatment people are looking for with in-depth content, new video and a highly engaging presentation for visitors. The public can find:

• Oral health information by life stages from pregnancy through seniors
• A—Z topics with videos
• ADA Seal of Acceptance products
• Tips and activities to make oral health care fun for kids
• ADA^® Find-a-Dentist™ to help them find an active licensed ADA member dentist in their area

One of my favorite parts of this new site is the For Kids Section. Find engaging ideas with videos and activities to help your kids be Mouth Healthy for Life!

Follow MouthHealthy on Twitter @ADAMouthHealthy or Like them on Facebook to stay up to date with Mouth Healthy news.

The Alliance is Shaping Up!

The AADA Getting in Shape Challenge

Your Alliance is getting a makeover. It's time to reshape our wonderful organization! With your help, the AADA Board will be trimming our excess and fine-tuning our goals. The target date for revealing our AADA makeover is Convention in San Francisco. Follow our progress here and at the Alliance Facebook page!

So the Alliance is offering our membership a challenge. While we shape up the Alliance, we want you to shape up, too! Challenge yourself to get in shape. Find nutrition and shape-up tips on the Alliance website to help you along. Who’s going be most successful at their goals? Who’s going to make changes in fitness? Who’s going to make changes in nutrition? Post your stories and pictures and encourage others as they work hard to meet their goals. Become a guest blogger by sending your story to Emily@AllianceADA.org!

Can you beat the Alliance in the GETTING IN SHAPE challenge? 

 
Photo Credit: Holding Too Many Ice Creams courtesy of Nationaal Archief / Spaarnestad Photo / Cevirum, SFA006007889 

Good Ideas Need to be Shared!

As many of you know Member Project Awards are around the corner and we have received a great number of submissions this year. It's wonderful to see that so of you have experienced success with a project or activity and I thought now would be a great time for you to share your ideas with the rest of us! 

                Check out June's


It's a How-To, How-To! Read this quick guide to learn how you can teach others to plan your project or activity.

The Council on Membership is encouraging all Alliance members to share their successes and their activities in a format that can be easily distributed to other members, a big member benefit. The intent is to make it easy for anyone to try a new activity, get the feel for doing something already refined by someone else and share the bountiful avenues of expression existing in the Alliance. Please use the recommended format and headings, limit your information to what can be recorded on one sheet (front & back) and submit to AADA central office (via Emily@AllianceADA.org).

I look forward to reading your responses!

The Alliance Attends the Washington Leadership Conference

As an Alliance member there is no short supply of opportunities to enhance your leadership skills, in fact last month several Alliance members were able to attend the 2012 Washington Leadership Conference.

Linda Lowe, Gigi Kudyba, Jerilyn Bird, Carol Reitz, Debbie Torbush, Doug Torbush, Jenny Zehner, Janine Bethea and Judith Worsley

Gigi Kudyba, on her first trip to the Washington Leadership Conference

I attended my first WLC this past May. I did not know what to expect but having attended many Georgia LAW days, I know the importance of visiting with legislators and discussing important issues. I was relieved to learn that I would be paired up with the Georgia dental representatives and Alliance member Dr. Janine Bethea. The meeting began late on Monday to learn about the current legislative issues that were impacting the dental profession nationally. We reviewed HR 436 and S 17 a bill to repeal the excise tax on medical devices; HR 4818 a bill to help consumers receive the full value of their dental coverage; S 1878/HR 4091 "Coordination of Pro Bono Medically Recommended Dental Care Act"; a senate companion bill to HR 1150 to repeal the McCarran-Ferguson law; concerns about community fluoridation; and military dental concerns.   

The following morning after listening to Dr. Calnon speak on the "state of dental concerns" and republican/democratic speakers issues concerning dentistry and a polling expert on the upcoming election, we headed off to the various legislators offices to discuss the issues.  I first met with Senator Chambliss at the Russell Building offices and then enjoyed riding the underground train legislators use to get to the House buildings to meet with Congressman Graves and Gingrey.  I thought being a newbie I would just listen to the lead Georgia dental representatives and learn the ropes but I found myself contributing details about the impact the bill would have on dentistry and found the Georgia dental representatives very knowledgeable on the issues. In between our meetings we had an exciting lunch.  Apparently there was an unattended bag or purse and the entire room was cleared for security purposes.  I immediately checked to see if I had my purse with me!  Before leaving Washington, Dr. Janine Bethea and I attended a fundraiser for Senator Gosar, a dentist from Arizona seeking re-election.  He spoke at our legislative function at conference in Tempe, AZ.  So nice to support dentists who understand the concerns of dentistry.

Thanks to all the alliance members who attended WLC!  

-Gigi Kudyba, AADA Representative to ADA CGA

If you are interested in serving in a leadership position with the Alliance, or in honing your skills please contact us at AADA@AllianceADA.org for the next opportunity.

For more about the conference visit the ADA website. 

"Head to Toe" Success Across the Country

In November 2011 The Alliance introduced a program entitled "We Care for You from Head to Toe" since then participation from State Alliance Components has spread across the country.

The inaugural Head to Toe event in Las Vegas, NV

Alliance members in five states, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Georgia and Alaska, have completed the project gathering more than 3500 oral health kits for people in need. It's exciting to see one idea blossom into such a widespread success!

Anyone interested in planning their own Head to Toe initiative can refer to the step by step directions in the handy How To, located on the home page of the members only portion of the Alliance website. Visit AllianceADA.org and login to access this site.

Keep an eye on the ADA news for the full article, highlighting this programs achievements.

I even got to help package items at the Annual AADA Conference in Stone Mountain, GA!

Member Spotlight!

Shining a light on an Outstanding Alliance Member

Emily: First, please tell me a little about yourself, your family, hobbies, etc..

Jacquelyn: I am a SAHM to The Big One (6), The Little One (3.5) and The Mini One (6m); married to Josh Whetzel. We live in an adorable small town in Georgia, and I enjoy chasing after my kids (most of the time). Being their mom doesn’t leave me much time for other things. I am involved with our local Women’s Club and Mom’s Club and I enjoy exercising and cooking.

Jacquelyn keeps busy with her three girls!

Jacquelyn with her youngest

Emily: You really are a busy lady! How did you first learn about the Alliance?

Jacquelyn: I learned about the Alliance during the first week of Dental School (August 2005), when Josh came home and said, “There’s a spouse group here, you should join”

Emily: And when did you join the Alliance?

Jacquelyn: I joined that Winter (Feb 2005) and have been a member ever since. I was a member in 05-07 and the President of the group from 08-09. After graduation, I stepped into the role of Student Spouse Liaison between the AGDA and the GHSU DSSA (Dental Student Spouse Alliance) and have served in that position since then.

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

Jacquelyn: As a Student Spouse (SS), we hosted a Santa’s Workshop, where the DSSA members collected Christmas gifts for the teenage patients at CHA (Children’s Healthcare of Augusta). We performed the Wanda Wondersmile Puppet Show for local schools and for the last three years I have planned the Annual Student Spouse Dinner held each fall at Dean Drisko’s home.

Emily: What has been your favorite project or event?

Jacquelyn: Honestly, my favorite project is the one I’m working on. I really enjoy educating people about Dental Health, and I also enjoy mentoring the Student Spouses and the fellowship and friendships that come with it.

Emily: I remember that you said something great in the student spouse gathering at the Conference about your husband really wanting you to be involved in the Alliance and the community. Could you please paraphrase that for me again if you remember? 

Dr and Mrs Josh Whetzel

 Jacquelyn: If I remember correctly, I said being involved with the Student Spouse Alliance was one of the best decisions I made as a spouse of a student. I had a group of ready made friends who knew exactly what it’s like to be married to a student whose schooling is the equivalent of a full time job - before studying. We were able to support and encourage each other and share our experiences. It was nice to hear from someone slightly further along in the process that if you can just make it through the first two years, it gets a lot easier. I believe our marriage would have suffered greatly without that knowledge from other spouses that the challenge of being married to a student would get easier as he progressed through school. The spouses reminded me to cut him some slack when he needed it, and we helped each other when our spouses weren’t able to. It was also nice to have some friends who were MY friends, not just friends of his as well. I ended up meeting a lot of women in other classes that we wouldn’t have gotten to know had I not joined the Alliance.

Josh and Jacquelyn at graduation

Josh really encouraged me to get involved in our community once he graduated, because I am a direct link in advertising. I can gain the trust of other couples in our age group and refer patients to the practice through my involvement in local organizations, PTO and just by being out in the community.

Emily: Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions Jacquelyn, I really appreciate it and we all appreciate your hard work as an Alliance member!

April Showers Bring May Meet-Ups?

- New Idea of the Month -

Happy spring everyone! Can you think of a better time of year to start new projects, plan an event or make new friends? I doubt it! Reach out to some fellow Alliance members and plan a get-together... Your meet up can be as simple as meeting at your favorite restaurant, organizing a service project or planning an event to gather Alliance members during a dental meeting. The possibilities are literally endless! (For those of you that are fans of the TV show Parks and Recreation say "literally endless" in the voice of Chris Traeger). :) 

For tips and ideas visit our website at AllianceADA.org and click on the "Idea of the Month" button. It looks like this!   

Now get out there and enjoy the fresh Spring air with some new friends!