SB 2670 Update
On Friday, April 11th, SB2670 passed as amended on the Senate floor. FDHA requested that any language pertaining to supervision levels for the dental hygienist should be removed from the bill. You can visit the final language at The Florida Senate web site. You may be asking what happened to our section of the bill. The Florida Dental Association opposed the initial language and in negotiations with the Governor's office, FDA developed "alternative language" which was presented as an accepted compromise that all dental related professional organizations would agree to. In actuality, it placed more RESTRICTIONS on our practice act. We were able have the restrictive language removed. As for the progression of the House Bill, it has not even been heard in committee yet. It is interesting that the Vice Chair of the House Health Care Committee that the bill was assigned to is Rep. Alan Hays, a Retired Dentist.
President McDonough, Tami Miller, Cookie Martin, myself and our lobbyists, Fred, Katie and Trevor had weekly, sometimes daily, conference calls to stay on top of this legislation. The week of Smile Day, Jackie, Tami, Cookie and Trevor put countless hours of work at the Capitol, meeting with key legislators and leadership. Working on this bill was definitely a team effort. I want to assure you that even though we did not get the language that we had hoped for, we have been successful in building a relationship with the Governor's office. The most important message to take from this session is who truly lost...the poor-under served citizens of Florida. We are going to fight to make a change for those who cannot fight for themselves. Governor Crist is committed to making a change to improve dental health. You will see this pursuit continue. Thank you for hard work and commitment.
Betty Dalton, R.D.H.
Chairperson FDHA Council on Governmental Affairs
Tobacco Cessation
In November 2006, citizens of the state of Florida voted on an amendment to increase anti-tobacco marketing funds. This increase in funding for anti-tobacco messages has allowed for a $17 million integrated social marketing and public relations anti-tobacco campaign. Targeting all segments of the smoking and tobacco-using population, Tobacco Free Florida supports existing Department of Health prevention and cessation initiatives and provides specialized messages to each target audience. Be sure to visit Tobacco Free Florida for more information. Help to encourage all Floridians to utilize the smoking prevention and cessation resources provided as part of the Tobacco Free Florida campaign. Thank you for your support of this campaign and for helping the Department of Health save lives throughout the state of Florida.
Dental Hygienists Ad
The University of Florida College of Dentistry is seeking approximately 12 part-time dental hygienists across Florida for a wonderful opportunity to train physicians and staff about oral health, including the performance of a screening examination and risk assessment, application of fluoride varnish, parental education and referral to a dental home. About half of these hires will be in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties. Starting July 1, 2008, Florida Medicaid will reimburse physicians for those procedures. The dental hygienists will be provided with preparatory education and the supplies to support project training efforts. The majority of training sessions provided by the hygienists will be conducted over the lunch hours, Monday through Friday, with some potential for early morning, evening and weekend activities; all to be negotiated. Participants will be expected to provide 1-5 training sessions per week, for a total of approximately 2-10 hours per week. These time-limited dental hygienist positions offer a competitive salary of $38 per hour with no benefits. Minimum requirements: Licensed as a dental hygienist in accordance with Chapter 466, Florida Statutes. A valid driver's license and vehicle are also required; travel expenses will be reimbursed. If you are interested in applying, please submit your online application and list of three professional references at: the UFL web site to requisition # 0705204. Questions regarding the positions can be directed to Dr. Frank Catalanotto or by calling, 352-273-5970. A criminal background check and post-offer health assessment will be conducted. The University of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Institution dedicated to building a culturally diverse and inclusive faculty and staff.
FDHA President's Message
I am very honored and proud to serve as the 2007-2008 President of the Florida Dental Hygiene Association. I have been a Florida licensed dental hygienist for 28 years. My husband, Dan, and I have been married for 22 years and we have two daughters, Lauren and Casey, who are students at the University of Central Florida... "go Golden Knights!"
At the conclusion of the 2007 House of Delegates, there was a feeling of attentive expectation. 2008 may begin an era of accelerated change that offers exciting professional opportunities in dental hygiene. It is a waste of time, energy and resources for the dental team to be in conflict. Increasing the quality of care and access to dental hygiene services can be accomplished if all members of the team work together with positive attitudes and commitments.
Discovered Treasure
Additional pins of the Immediate Past President, Cookie Martin, have been discovered and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are interested, contact Mel Warren at BeadsGalore (At) Comcast (Dot) Net.
COF's Inspiration Cruise
