Message From the President

Greetings MnDHA Members,
It's with great pleasure that I write to you in announcement of how our new year at MnDHA has been progressing. We have thus far accomplished our first Board of Trustees meeting, Day at the Capital, Joint meetings with MDA and MDAA and many planning meetings for upcoming events.

The Board of Trustees meeting was held on January 28th, 2012. All components were represented with the exception of Component 5. Component 5 is in need of a Trustee and/or Co-Trustee's. We have now integrated the use of WebEx, an online meeting site, to allow better attendance of meetings and help to reduce traveling. We have hopes that this new function will allow greater participation throughout the state with less need for travel.

This year's Day at the Capital proved to be another success. The U of M, Rochester and Normandale students were in attendance. All students were given the ability and means to meet with their own Representatives and Senators to discuss any Dental Hygiene related issues. We hope in the next coming years to have a greater representation of each Dental Hygiene School in Minnesota.

On February 17th, 2012, Diane Larson, MnDHA Secretary, and I attended a Dental Education Committee meeting at the Minnesota Dental Associations office. Those in attendance were representatives from the MDA, MDAA, MnDHA and MDEA. There was much discussion, from all parties, of the need to start working together as a team. It's in our best interest, as an Association and a Dental Profession, to start building better communication and increase team work among our dental colleagues. Declining membership in professional dental associations was also discussed which is a grave concern especially to the MDAA.

Please direct yourself to our website and check out the MnDHA calendar section. We post our CE's, meetings and other future events.

It is in our current Strategic Plan to work on increasing membership and participation. My pledge to you at April's MnDHA Annual Session 2011/12 was to strive to do so. Please look to find more information on our next newsletter regarding what MnDHA has accomplished and/or is working on.

Please do not hesitate to send any questions or concerns to us at questions@mndha.com or to specific persons. All Executive and Trustee Board members' information in listed on our website.

To finish, I'd like to personally thank each and every one of you for your dedication and commitment to our Dental Hygiene Profession.

Best,
Betsy Salic, RDH, BSDH
Minnesota Dental Hygienists' Association - President