Mr. Gary L. Jacobs, CDA, RDH, BS Ed., MPA 2008-2009 Connecticut Dental Assistants Association President ADAA Council on Legislation   Greetings from your Connecticut Dental Assistants Association President Who am I?   How have I served CDAA and the dental assisting profession?   I am a resident of Clinton, Connecticut and currently serve as Connecticut Dental Assistants Association President and hold a seat on the ADAA Council on Legislation.   I have also held the positions of CDAA Vice President and President Elect and have actively participated on the following Committees:  EFDA Curriculum; Legislative Task Force; and Ad hoc Access to Oral Health Care with the Connecticut Department of Public Health to serve and promote the Dental Assisting Profession.  I had the honor of representing CDAA as our Delegate to the past two annual ADAA sessions (Denver in 2006 and San Francisco in 2007).  This year’s annual session is in October and will be in San Antonio, Texas and I have been nominated again to attend as the CDAA Delegate.  Please watch for my ADAA meeting summary to be posted on our website once I return in October.   I am currently Associate Professor of Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting at Tunxis Community College in Farmington, CT, but have worked in the allied dental field in private practice and/or as an educator for a total of 28 years.  My educational background includes an Associates Degree in Health Science from Tunxis Community College; a B.S. in Dental Education from Central Connecticut State University; and Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of Hartford’s Barney School of Business. July 2008 Message This is an exciting time to be a dental assistant in a profession with a bright future and numerous opportunities. The Connecticut Department of Labor projects a steady growth in demand for dental assistants through 2012 with 57 new positions and 154 openings annually.   What other profession gives you so many choices?  After all, you can choose a career in general dentistry, periodontics, pedodontics, orthodontics, oral surgery, endodontics, prosthodontics, radiology, or esthetic dentistry    Dr. Edmund Kells is credited with utilizing the first dental assistant as a “lady in attendance” in the 1800s.  The main responsibility of this first dental assistant was to be present during the treatment of female patients because it was inappropriate for a male dentist to treat unaccompanied female patients.  The "Dental Nurse " concept Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary was started over 100 years ago in New Zealand. Britain and Canada also have used dental nurses over the years.  In recent years, the majority of states have passed some form of EFDA legislation with the realization of the positive impact that EFDA dental auxiliary have on access to oral health care.  We have come a long way as a profession and dental assistants continue to be an invaluable member of the dental care delivery team.  CDAA Committee members on the Legislative Task Force and EFDA Curriculum Committee have worked tirelessly for over 3 years to compose an EFDA legislative proposal for Connecticut.  Currently, we have a proposal that provides a career ladder for both on-the-job trained dental assistants and dental assistants that graduate from a CODA accredited program.  The proposal also includes curriculum for a sound EFDA educational program to offer dental assistants a reasonable and convenient way to become EFDA certified with high standards and at the same time insure public safety.  We believe that our proposal offers a win-win for all constituents because it provides a system for career advancement and more efficiency in delivery of care to make a positive impact on access to oral health care.  The career ladder concept is supported by ADAA and the DANB to provide job satisfaction as a measure to retain quality dental assistants in the profession.  Now that the majority of states have passed some format of EFDA it has become a natural evolution of our profession.     The Connecticut Dental Assistants Association welcomes all dental assistants (members and nonmembers) and strives to promote the best interests of the profession and the patients that we serve.   CDAA established a 5 year strategic plan to foster our mission statement and we have made tremendous gains toward our goals and objectives.   Our mission and strategic plan includes offering continuing education programs that are affordable and focus on current topics that interest dental assistants.   CDAA has realized a great increase in our membership numbers and we attribute this success to our efforts in providing dental assistants with the services to meet their professional needs.   I hope to continue this successful path of our strategic plan with CE course offerings; promotion of legislative efforts and access to care initiatives; and our ever expanding annual session.  Remember to frequently visit our website to check for special meeting announcements! Yes, this is an exciting time to be a dental assistant, but your future and the destiny of the dental assisting profession are in your hands and we have work yet to be accomplished.  It is only through your active involvement in your professional association that has allowed us to further our goals and objectives.   We are always looking for additional committee volunteers to assist with newsletters, annual meeting functions, Statewide access to care events, and Dental Assisting Recognition Week.  It only takes a few volunteers to donate a couple hours per year to make a big difference.  Could you give a couple hours to your profession? I look forward to serving you this year as CDAA President.  Remember, CDAA is your professional association and the only association devoted to promoting your interests. Respectfully yours, Gary L. Jacobs, CDA, RDH, BS Ed., MPA CDAA President