Dear Washington State Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (WSAPD) Member,
I hope you are doing well and having a thriving pediatric dentistry career. We are truly blessed to get the chance to work with children on a daily basis. I can’t even begin to imagine treating adults anymore. I am writing to update you on several things:
We had a board meeting on Thursday 11/11/2021, in the meeting we discussed our last Annual session that was held Oct 2 nd at Cedar Brook Lodge, where we had Dr. Clarice Law give us a fantastic lecture. Your feedback was positive, and we are hoping to do our best in bringing the best courses to our corner of the world.
Speaking of best courses, I would love for you to mark your calendars for Saturday, March 26th 2022, we are going to have our spring meeting at the Salish Lodge & Resort, and our speaker will be Dr. LaRee
Johnson, immediate past president of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD). Dr. Johnson will be lecturing on Aesthetic Zirconia crowns in the morning, and we will have a hands-on session in the afternoon with the help of NuSmile. Capping it at night with a cocktail reception for mingling and camaraderie. We hope to see a lot of you joining us in that beautiful setting. We will send an official announcement once all the details are finalized for the lodge, speaker, sponsors, and logistics. PALS Course will be March 4-5 (March 4th for first time takers) Location has not been identified yet. The board is working on getting CERP certification for any courses WSAPD puts out. This will take some time and effort to make it happen, but will allow us to host larger meetings similar to CSPD meetings in the future, where we can have more participants from out of state and we can attract more national/international speakers.
In the board meeting, we voted to approve sponsoring two residents to represent us at the Pediatric Oral Health Advocacy Conference (POHAC) in Washington DC next year, they are still in the process of determining if it will be in person or via Zoom like this year. The residents are Dr. Rebecka Haats (NYU Langone-Yakima), and Dr. Micah Bovenkamp (UW). Dr. John Gibbons will be accompanying them as a mentor (as always much appreciated) WSDA update by Dr. John Gibbons (President elect for WSDA) reminded us of the following:
Waterlines testing deadline is Dec 1st 2021, here is the link to WAC and the requirements.
https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=246-817-660
https://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/ProfessionsNewReneworUpdate/Dentist/InfecionControl#item65601
The CE requirements were instituted Jan 1 st 2019 and renews every three years. SO on your birthday in 2022 you have to have had 63 hours of CE, here are some of the conditions for your review:
· A licensed dentist shall complete the commission approved dental jurisprudence examination once every three years.
https://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/ProfessionsNewReneworUpdate/Dentist/ApplicationsandForms/DentalJurisprudenceExamination
· Healthcare provider basic life support (BLS). BLS certification is required in WAC 246-817- 720. One hour of continuing education for each BLS certification course will be granted. A licensed dentist may not count more than three hours every three years in this category;
Here is the link for the WAC on CE
https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=246-817-440
Sedation guidelines and site visits for people who are performing their own GA anesthesia or parenteral sedation is still being investigated, we are keeping a close eye on the rules that are being considered, with the help of Dr. Travis Nelson (Acting Chair, and Program Director at UW)
Our membership committee led by Dr. Julio Escobar reported that we have 237 active members, we hope to serve all of them to the best of our ability, and to provide them with the best support possible. If you have not paid your dues please do so to make sure our numbers are accurate.
Our Communication committee led by Dr. Sukhi Jassar wants to remind you we have a new website, and to check it for updates in the future especially on our CE courses. “Western Society of Pediatric Dentistry (WSPD) liaison Dr. Harlyn Susarla updated us that the use of the Mid-Level Provider was passed into law in Oregon. Dr. Dennis Nutter, the president of WSPD, discussed potentially connecting with organizations that support the use of the mid-level provider to hear their perspectives, while also providing an opportunity for WSPD member states to voice their concerns with this model.”
I am working on getting a great speaker for our October Annual Meeting which will be held on October 1st 2022 at Cedar Brook Lodge. I am pursuing speakers on Orthodontics, practice management, or self- improvement.
If you have any recommendations or feedback please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Hani Eid, DDS, MS, FAAPD.
President WSAPD