The 104th Annual Convention of the National Dental Association (NDA) will convene July 19-23, 2017, at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. Dr. Kim B. Perry, the 93rd NDA President, is excited to share this year’s theme, Our Place at the Table: Advancing and Advocating for the Future of Oral Health.
“This theme transforms NDA’s tradition of service into action by creating partnerships and collaboration with like-minded entities to ensure that the NDA is an integral part in the development of policies and initiatives related to high-quality, accessible, and equitable oral healthcare.”
The convention will kick off on Wednesday, July 19, with the NDA-HEALTH NOW Dallas community outreach event. NDA-HEALTH NOW is a signature program that actively addresses the issues of access and disparities in underserved communities. The Diabetes Health & Wellness Institute at the Juanita Craft Recreation Center will host the event that will include wellness instruction and information sessions, health screenings for children and adults, as well as fun activities for all.
The convention agenda features distinguished speakers and stimulating topics from the healthcare, business, and self-improvement arenas, all focused on improving oral healthcare for minorities and underserved communities. Some examples include: a Minority Faculty Research Forum (July 20, 2:00pm) on the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on oral health and dentistry; the President’s Symposium (Saturday, July 22, 8:30am), with Dr. Janet Southerland, Professor, Meharry Medical College, Moderator, will address guidelines for managing pain and prescribing medication in what is now an opioid addiction crisis; and the Dr. Alison P. Riddle-Fletcher Women Dentist Awards Luncheon will feature 4- time Amazon best-selling author, Cheryl Polote-Williamson, author of “Soul Talk.”
This year attendees will be able to access “all things NDA” with the convention app: schedules for all (NDA, SNDA, NDHA, NDAA and ANDA), exhibitor and speaker information, news, updates, and more. Features, sights and sounds from the conference will also be posted on the NDA website, Facebook, and Twitter (@NDA1913).
The 104th NDA Annual Convention will provide a forum for oral health professionals to learn from one another on how to continue to provide unparalleled service, strengthen collegial relationships, grow the ranks of minority oral health professionals, and secure quality care for the communities they serve.
The National Dental Association (NDA) is a professional association of approximately 7,000 minority dentists based in Washington, DC and operating in the United States, Canada and Latin America. Formed in 1913, it is the largest such association in the world. Among the aims of the NDA is extending dental treatment and education to impoverished, disabled or minority populations, as well as those who may not be able to seek proper care due to age. It also works to maintain professional standards in dentistry and to encourage dental careers among minority populations.
Under the National Dental Association Foundation (NDAF), founded in 1976, the NDA has with cooperation from Colgate-Palmolive been active in promoting research and scholarships at Howard University Dental School and Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry.
Convention programs are made available through the generous support of Aetna, Inc., Colgate-Palmolive, DentaQuest, Ft. Worth CVB, GlaxoSmithKline, Henry Schein, and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
For more information, visit the NDA’s website at www.ndaonline.org
