02/25/2010
ODA Leadership Institute offers multiple ways to further leadership skills

Sarah Surface
Managing Editor

The 2010 Ohio Dental Association Leadership Institute is sure to help enhance dentists' leadership skills.

The ODA invites dentists to join their colleagues at Hilton Columbus at Easton Town Center March 5-6, where Ohio's longest-serving chief justice, Thomas J. Moyer, will discuss the leadership skills he's gained in his 30+ years of judicial experience, and sports legend Chris Spielman will give insight on how to be a leader through adversity.

The annual ODA Leadership Institute is free for ODA member dentists and provides them the opportunity to gain exceptional leadership knowledge that can be applied in their practices, their homes and their communities. Additionally, dentists will learn about recent trends and issues related to dentistry.

The 2010 event opens Friday morning, March 5, with an ODA Executive Committee Town Hall Meeting. This open-forum-style meeting provides the opportunity for members to ask ODA leadership questions about the organization and its activities and programs.

Following lunch, attendees will have the opportunity to attend two of four one-hour breakout sessions, outlined below.

Employment Issues for the Dental Office
Presented by Keith Kerns, Esq., ODA director of legal and legislative services, this breakout session will provide dentists with increased knowledge on state and federal employment regulations. Attendees will hear tips on hiring and disciplining employees and will have the opportunity to discuss what steps dentists can take to minimize employee difficulties.

Regulatory Compliance and Green Dentistry in the Dental Office
This session, presented by Dr. Robert Mazzola, chair of the ODA Council on Dental Care Programs and Dental Practice, and Christopher Moore, MA, ODA director of dental services, counts for one Ohio State Dental Board continuing education credit. Attendees will learn about the American Dental Association's Best Management Practices for amalgam waste disposal and compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations. Simple and practical steps to make the dental office more environmentally friendly will also be provided.

Running an Effective and Efficient Meeting
ODA Speaker of the House, Dr. Michael Halasz, will lead this breakout session, intended to assist anyone who is called upon to chair or preside over a meeting. The session will provide tools to assist them in running effective and efficient meetings and will cover all aspects of running a meeting – from putting an agenda together to the preparation of meeting minutes. Attendees will also learn the importance of following parliamentary procedure, ensuring motions are handled appropriately and promoting fair and open debate while maintaining order.

Administrative Update for Ohio Component Societies
ODA President Dr. Stephen Simpson and experienced ODA staff, including Michelle Blackman, executive assistant to ODA executive director; Peg Cissell, ODA director of finance; and Joe Potestivo, ODA data services and membership manager, will provide an update on pertinent information for the administration/management of component dental societies. This informative session is aimed at those involved in running a component dental society.

In the mid-afternoon on Friday, March 5, Leadership Institute attendees will hear from Moyer, who has been Ohio's chief justice since 1987.

Over the last two decades, he has been a steadying influence on Ohio's highest court as the court considered controversial issues related to school funding, tort reform and other important issues.

Since receiving his law degree from The Ohio State University in 1964, Moyer has also served eight years as a judge of the Tenth District Court of Appeals in Franklin County, four years as executive assistant to the governor of Ohio and eight years in the private practice of law in Columbus.

He is also in the forefront of efforts to reform the method of selecting judges in Ohio, working with interested parties to develop legislative proposals to increase the reporting requirements for contributions made to judicial campaigns and to increase the minimum professional qualifications required of judicial candidates.

Following Moyer's keynote presentation, Leadership Institute attendees are invited to join their colleagues at the Easton Sports Club for a reception hosted by Delta Dental.

On Saturday morning, March 6, breakfast will be provided for all attendees. During the breakfast hour, the ODA Subcouncil on New Dentists invites all dentists in practice 10 years or less to join them in a reserved area for a special new dentists' breakfast.

A presentation by Spielman will begin immediately following breakfast.

Spielman first gained attention as an All-American football player at Washington High School in Massillon, Ohio. The first high school athlete to appear on a Wheaties cereal box, Spielman went on to play linebacker for The Ohio State University from 1984-1987.

Spielman is a two-time All-American selection, three-time All-Big Ten selection, winner of the 1987 Lombardi Award and all-time leader in solo tackles at OSU. In 2009, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

The Detroit Lions selected Spielman with the 29th pick in the 1988 NFL Draft. After playing eight seasons in Detroit, he played two years with the Buffalo Bills and then joined the Cleveland Browns after the 1998 season.

When his wife, Stefanie, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999, Spielman took a year off from football to be at home with her and their children. He returned to football the following year, only to suffer a career-ending neck injury. Together, he and Stefanie used their public profile to raise more than $6.5 million through the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Patient Assistance to support breast cancer patients and research. After his wife's death in 2009, Spielman has continued to be an advocate for cancer research.

Leadership Institute activities continue with an update on national dental issues from American Dental Association Seventh District Trustee Dr. Charles Steffel, a legislative update and election preview from the ODA advocacy team and an Ohio Dental Political Action Committee (ODPAC) update.

The event is expected to adjourn around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 6.

Registration for the 2010 ODA Leadership Institute is free to ODA members, but attendees are responsible for their own travel and lodging expenses.

Hotel reservations at the Hilton Columbus at Easton Town Center are now closed for the event, but Easton Town Center has additional lodging options. For more information, click here, and contact the hotels directly.

Partial funding for the 2010 ODA Leadership Institute is provided by Delta Dental

Registration materials have been mailed, and members can register online or by calling the ODA at (800) 282-1526, ext. 24.