Northeast District Dental Association

TO ADVANCE THE DENTAL PROFESSION IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE, AND GOOD FELLOWSHIP AND PARTICIPATE IN CIVIC HEALTH WORK IN THE FIELD OF DENTISTRY.

THE PROJECT: DENTISTS CARE PROGRAM IS A VOLUNTEER FUNDED DENTAL ACCESS TO CARE NETWORK OPERATED AND COORDINATED BY THE NEDDA. UNDER THE PROGRAM, LOCAL DENTISTS IN NEDDA VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME AND SERVICES TO PROVIDE PREVENTIVE AND RESTORATIVE DENTAL CARE TO FLORIDIANS IN GREATEST NEED. PATIENTS WHO RECEIVE SERVICES UNDER THIS PROGRAM ARE TYPICALLY LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT QUALIFY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BUT HAVE UNMET NEEDS. THIS PROGRAM ALSO ASSISTS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AT NO COST TO THEM, WITH LOCATING A PDC-AFFILIATED PROGRAM IN THE NEDDA OR LOCATING A REDUCED COST DENTAL CARE PROVIDERS IN THE NEDDA. EVERY YEAR, NEDDA MEMBERS PROVIDE DIRECT PATIENT CARE IN THEIR OWN DENTAL PRACTICES FOR FREE IN CONJUNCTION WITH PROJECT: DENTISTS CARE.

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS AND DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAMS: THE NEDDA ASSIST DENTISTS TO PREPARE DISASTER PLANS AND SERVES AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION TO COORDINATE AND DIRECT RELIEF EFFORTS WHEN DISASTER STRIKES. THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON PROTECTING THE PUBLIC BY ENCOURAGING DENTISTS TO PROPERLY SECURE THEIR PATIENT RECORDS SO THEY REMAIN ACCESSIBLE IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. THE PROGRAM ALSO ASSISTS DENTISTS WHO ARE STRUCK BY CATASTROPHE TO KEEP PROVIDING ACCESS TO ORAL HEALTH CARE BY COORDINATING OPERATORY SPACE AND DENTAL SUPPLIES IN THE EVEN OF A PUBLIC EMERGENCY. ORAL HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS: THE NEDDA ASSISTS THE FDA AND THE ADA TO PROVIDE PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE HIGH QUALITY ORAL HEALTH IN THE COMMUNITY. FOR EXAMPLE, NEDDA VOLUNTEER DENTISTS HELPED TO DEVELOP THE MOUTH WISE PROGRAM. THE MOUTH WISE MIDDLE SCHOOL DENTAL-HEALTH EDUCATION CURRICULUM WAS CREATED TO TEACH STUDENTS IN SIXTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF DENTAL-HEALTH CARE. THE CURRICULUM CONTAINS FOUR MODULES: NUTRITION AND SODA CONSUMPTION, USE OF MOUTHGUARDS, SMOKELESS TOBACCO AND ORAL PIERCING. EACH MODULE IS TARGETED TO DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS. LESSONS ADDRESS THE SUNSHINE STATE STANDARD "HEALTH LITERACY" RELATED TO INCREASING STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE ABOUT VARIOUS WAYS TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND PREVENT DISEASE. THE MOUTH WISE PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS, HARMFUL EFFECTS AND DISEASES THAT CAN AFFECT THEIR OVERALL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. WOUNDED WARRIORS PROJECT: NEDDA VOLUNTEER DENTISTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TIME AND SERVICES TO THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT. THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE UNIQUE, DIRECT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SEVERELY INJURED SERVICE MEMBERS. AT LEAST ONE SERVICE MEMBER IS RECEIVING FREE, COMPREHENSIVE DENTAL CARE FOR A ONE-YEAR PERIOD. SCHOOL RESOURCE DENTISTS: THE NEDDA FOCUSES ON RECRUITING AND COORDINATING SCHOOL RESOURCE DENTISTS. THESE DENTISTS WORK WITH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS, SCHOOL BOARDS, SCHOOL HEALTH EDUCATION COORDINATORS, SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, SCHOOL NURSES AND ADMINISTRATION TO REPRESENT THE DENTAL COMMUNITY ON ORAL-HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO STUDENTS IN GRADES K-12. THE SCHOOL RESOURCE DENTISTS REFLECT THE PROFESSION'S CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO ESTABLISH GOOD ORAL HEALTH HABITS AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS AT AN EARLY AGE, AND IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SETTING. SCHOOL RESOURCE DENTISTS PROVIDE INFORMATION WHICH HELPS SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND NURSES TO REFER STUDENTS IN NEED OF DENTAL CARE TO A DENTAL HOME, PROJECT DENTIST'S CARE PROGRAM, OR ENROLLMENT IN THE KIDS CARE/HEALTHY KIDS PROGRAM. EDUCATION OUTREACH FOR LOCAL DENTISTS: THE NEDDA MAKES AVAILABLE, TO MEMBER AND NON-MEMBER DENTISTS ALIKE, FREE EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL ON COMMUNITY HEALTH ISSUES. AS ONE EXAMPLE, NEDDA WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE JACKSONVILLE ELECTRIC AUTHORITY, TO DISTRIBUTE JEA BEST PRACTICES POLICY FOR AMALGAM WASTEWATER BMP (BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES). THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE TO ALL DENTAL OFFICES IN THE NEDDA AREA VIA THE NEDDA WEBSITE.

PEER REVIEW PATIENT RELATIONS PROGRAMS AND ETHICS RELATIONS PEER REVIEW PROGRAM: ESTABLISH, TRAIN AND MAINTAIN A NETWORK OF VOLUNTEER MEDIATORS/ARBITRATORS FOR PEER REVIEW PATIENT RELATIONS PROGRAM. PATIENT RELATIONS PEER REVIEW, IN ITS SIMPLEST TERMS, IS A MECHANISM BY WHICH THE DENTAL PROFESSION DEMONSTRATES THE APPROPRIATENESS AND QUALITY OF THE CARE IT RENDERS. IT PROVIDES AN EXPERT AND CREDIBLE SYSTEM FOR RESOLVING DISAGREEMENTS THAT CANNOT OTHERWISE BE RESOLVED REGARDING THE PUBLIC'S COMPLAINTS ABOUT CLINICAL CARE. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY USE THIS SYSTEM TO RESOLVE COMPLAINTS ABOUT DENTAL CARE. THERE IS NO CHARGE TO THE PATIENT TO USE THIS SERVICE. THE NEDDA PATIENT RELATIONS PEER REVIEW COMMITTEE IS COMPOSED OF A CHAIR, WHO IS A VOLUNTEER MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT; A COMMITTEE OF EXAMINING DENTISTS, WHICH IS A POOL OF AT LEAST SIX VOLUNTEER MEMBERS; AND ANY NUMBER OF CONSULTANTS WITH EXPERTISE IN THE PARTICULAR AREA OF THE PATIENT-COMPLAINT. THUS, A LARGE NUMBER OF MEMBERS VOLUNTEER SIGNIFICANT TIME TO PROVIDE THIS PUBLIC SERVICE. THEY RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR THIS SERVICE. ESTABLISH, TRAIN AND MAINTAIN A NETWORK OF VOLUNTEERS FOR ETHICS RELATIONS PEER REVIEW PROGRAM. ETHICS RELATIONS PEER REVIEW, IN ITS SIMPLEST TERMS, IS A MECHANISM BY WHICH THE DENTAL PROFESSION ENFORCES ITS CODE OF ETHICAL CONDUCT, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC. THE NEDDA IS A PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF DENTISTS HAVING AS ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE THE FURTHERANCE OF QUALITY HEALTH CARE. IT DOES SO IN PART BY REQUIRING MEMBERS TO ADHERE TO THE PRINCIPLES OF ETHICS AND CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT ADOPTED BY THE FDA AND THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION (CODE OF ETHICS). THE NEDDA APPOINTS A SINGLE DENTIST TO THE FDA COUNCIL ON ETHICS, BYLAWS AND JUDICIAL AFFAIRS. THIS INDIVIDUAL SERVES WITHOUT COMPENSATION AND DONATES A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF TIME TO THIS PUBLIC SERVICE. ALSO, THE NEDDA ETHICS RELATIONS PROGRAM INCLUDES A CHAIR, APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT, WHO DEDICATES SIMILAR HOURS TO THIS CHARITABLE PROGRAM. THEY RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR THIS SERVICE.

GIVE KIDS A SMILE PROGRAM: EACH YEAR, THE NEDDA SPONSORS A GIVE KIDS A SMILE EVENT, WHERE SEVERAL MEMBERS VOLUNTEER THEIR EXPERTISE, TIME AND SERVICES TO PARTICIPATING CHILDREN WHO ARE SEEN, AT NO COST TO THEM OR THEIR FAMILIES, FOR DENTAL SCREENINGS, X-RAYS, CLEANINGS AND SEALANTS IF NEEDED. CHILDREN MAY ALSO RECEIVE PRESCRIBED FOLLOW-UP CARE. THIS PROGRAM INVOLVES NEDDA DENTISTS, HYGIENISTS AND OTHER SUPPORT STAFF AND INVOLVES SEVERAL LOCATIONS. VOLUNTEER NEDDA DENTISTS DONATED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF CARE TO INDIGENT CHILDREN THROUGH THIS GIVE KIDS A SMILE PROGRAM, WHICH IS AN ANNUAL EVENT.