Mar 25, 2025
ADA unites coalition to support CMS chief dental officer role
The ADA has mobilized a coalition to advocate for the preservation and strengthening of CMS' chief dental officer position.
Mar 25, 2025
The ADA has mobilized a coalition to advocate for the preservation and strengthening of CMS' chief dental officer position.
Mar 24, 2025
Eligibility and benefit verification spending increased by 15% to $2.1 billion in 2023.
Mar 21, 2025
ADA News is providing a roundup of three happenings in government that you may have missed this week.
Mar 21, 2025
The potential consequences of eliminating the adult Medicaid dental benefit are highlighted in an HPI research brief.
Mar 20, 2025
In this digital age, most dentists have received online reviews, but they may not know how best to respond to them or even if they should.
Mar 19, 2025
The ADA is supporting a bill dedicated to preventing suicide and reducing occupational burnout and stress for health care professionals.
Mar 18, 2025
The Resident Education Deferred Interest Act was reintroduced in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
Mar 17, 2025
The symposium will show how dental professionals can become leaders in the battle against chronic disease.
Mar 14, 2025
The ADA is decentralizing its long-standing leadership development program based in Chicago through the launch of The Leadership Institutes.
Mar 14, 2025
The ADA is signing onto a letter urging congressional leaders to protect and preserve the Medicaid program.
Mar 14, 2025
ADA News is providing a roundup of three happenings in government that you may have missed this week.
Mar 14, 2025
ADA News is providing a roundup of three happenings in government that you may have missed this week.
Mar 12, 2025
Elizabeth “Betsy” Shapiro, D.D.S., J.D., was named ADA interim executive director.
Mar 12, 2025
Talkspace Therapy is a digital platform that supports behavioral health and emotional wellness needs from a secure app.
Mar 11, 2025
Updates are coming to CDT codes related to saliva testing, resin-based composites and more in 2026.
Mar 11, 2025
The ADA announced March 6 a new affiliation with the Academy of Private Dental Practice.
Mar 10, 2025
The ADA is expressing opposition to the proposed Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Security Rule.
Mar 10, 2025
A federal bill reintroduced in the House would extend funding to address access to care and dental workforce-related issues.
Mar 7, 2025
Leaders in dentistry and medicine called for increased collaboration in the fight against oral cancer during the ADA’s Oral Cancer Summit.
Mar 7, 2025
ADA News is providing a roundup of three happenings in government that you may have missed this week.
Dr. Ken Rawson, ISDS President
CODA sets the student-to-faculty ratios for all dental schools, dental hygiene programs, and accredited dental assisting programs, so it essentially controls how many graduates enter the workforce each year. These ratios have not changed or been explored in quite some time. We request to determine if they can be increased, potentially infusing more dental hygienists and assistants into the workforce.
Starting a brand-new program from scratch is a huge lift and takes significant time and money, so it would take years to have an impact. Increasing the student-to-faculty ratios for hygiene and assisting programs would be an immediate solution.
The multi-state coalition requested that CODA take the following actions:
a. Should there be variation in the faculty-to-student ratios in the Accreditation
Standards based upon the complexity of procedures in which students are
being trained?
b. Should there be variation in the faculty-to-student ratios in the Accreditation
Standards based on technology used for training students?
c. At what ratio is ensuring appropriate technical instruction and evaluation
compromised?
d. Are there any factors within the control of educational programs that warrant
variance in the faculty-to-student ratios?
After receiving the state’s requests, CODA’s full Board of Commissioners discussed and considered the concerns and recommendations brought forward. They agreed to form an ad hoc committee and request that each state provide data on the intersection between the workforce shortages and their Accreditation Standards. ISDS will be providing updates as things progress.
Click here to view letters from the coalition to CODA.