Author: Amy Szmania

The ODA installed new Executive Committee officers for the 2020-21 term on Sept. 25 during the House of Delegates virtual meeting. The Executive Committee is the managing body of the ODA. The committee administers the policies established by the ODA House of Delegates and the Ad Interim Committee. The 2020-21 ODA Executive Committee officers ... [continue reading]

With the 2020 presidential election on the horizon, the Electoral College will likely be in the spotlight again as it is every four years. The Electoral College gets even more scrutiny when the presidential candidate receiving the most popular votes does not win the presidency. This has happened five times since 1824, including twice in the last ... [continue reading]

The Ohio Dental Association's Medicaid Working Group has acted upon and continues to address a number of matters relative to Ohio's Medicaid dental program. Rebidding Ohio’s Medicaid HMO contracts Early last year Gov. Mike DeWine called on the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) to rebid the state of Ohio’s contracts with the private ... [continue reading]

The World Health Organization recently released guidance advising “routine non-essential oral health care — which usually includes oral health checkups, dental cleanings and preventive care — be delayed until there has been sufficient reduction in COVID-19 transmission rates.” In direct response to this, the American Dental ... [continue reading]

As part of its ongoing efforts to provide financial relief to health care providers impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an application deadline extension for the Phase 2 general distribution to Medicaid, Medicaid managed care, Children's Health Insurance Program ... [continue reading]

The American Dental Association has updated its Return to Work Interim Guidance Toolkit and released a new flowchart with guidance to follow if a staff member or someone in a staff member's household tests positive for COVID-19. The flowchart is available exclusively to ADA members as a benefit of membership, and includes information about ... [continue reading]

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is distributing financial assistance to health care providers impacted by COVID-19, through the Provider Relief Fund. Assistance for dental providers is currently available, but the deadline to submit applications is Aug. 3. The Provider Relief Fund Payment Portal is open to eligible ... [continue reading]

If a staff member tests positive for COVID-19 or must self-quarantine because of a COVID-19 exposure, employers are required to pay those staff members while they are out. The Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (FFRCA) requires employers to pay up to 80 hours (or prorated equivalent for part-time workers) of time off at full pay (up to ... [continue reading]

Dentists who were previously ineligible for relief from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Provider Relief Fund can now apply to receive funding. HHS has announced $175 billion in relief funds, including to hospitals and other healthcare providers on the front lines of the coronavirus response as part of the Coronavirus Aid, ... [continue reading]

Currently the state of Ohio does not require people who travel out of state to quarantine upon their return. Dentists should consider their office policy and professional judgment when determining whether they or their staff members should quarantine after travel. It's also important to be aware that the requirements in Ohio could change ... [continue reading]