Alva S. Appleby Scholarship
The Maine Dental Association Charitable Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2025 Alva S. Appleby Scholarship. Deadline: November 23, 2025.png?sfvrsn=60f125d2_1)
MDA Window Decal
Bold. Clean. Easy. This 4" x 4" vinyl decal features a sleek static cling backing—just peel, place, and reposition anytime you want. No mess. No residue. All style. Perfect for your office window!
Welcome to the Maine Dental Association
With a focus on Maine’s dentists, oral health policy, and the citizens of our state, with over 700 member dentists, the Maine Dental Association is here for YOU.
What We Offer:
Professional Connections
Member Discounts
Continuing Education
Legislative Advocacy
Informative Resources
Tripartite Membership
With a joint effort between your local component, the Maine Dental Association, and the American Dental Association, membership guarantees to meet your needs as each level offers valuable benefits and resources.
SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Calling all Members! In accordance with the Maine Dental Association Bylaws (Chapter VIII, Section C), the MDA Board of Directors has voted to hold a Special Membership meeting on Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 7:00pm via Zoom (link below) to discuss changing the Bylaws language regarding an Alternate Delegate position to the American Dental Association House of Delegates. The specific change is to Chapter IV, Section H. Delegates and Alternates which currently reads:
- The Board of Directors shall appoint the necessary number of Delegates and/or alternate Delegates to represent the Maine Dental Association at any regular or special meeting of the American Dental Association House of Delegates, with one Delegate position to be filled by the Long-term Delegate as described in Chapter VI, Section VI.C, and one Delegate position to be filled by the member identified as the President at the time of the ADA House of Delegates. The Alternate Delegates shall be identified as the President-Elect and Vice President at the time of the ADA House of Delegates.
The change would allow the second alternate position to be at the discretion of the President of the Board and would read:
- The Board of Directors shall appoint the necessary number of Delegates and/or alternate Delegates to represent the Maine Dental Association at any regular or special meeting of the American Dental Association House of Delegates, with one Delegate position to be filled by the Long-term Delegate as described in Chapter VI, Section VI.C, and one Delegate position to be filled by the member identified as the President at the time of the ADA House of Delegates. The Alternate Delegates shall be identified as the President-Elect at the time of the ADA House of Delegates, and the other Alternate Delegate shall be appointed by the President.
Please join us on Wednesday, January 7 at 7:00pm via Zoom, https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89071480337.
If you have any questions, please contact Therese Cahill at tcahill@medental.org.
MDA CE Opportunities
Treating Between the Lines: Understanding Rx and Illicit Drug Abuse (3 CEs)
Course: Treating Between the Lines: Understanding Rx and Illicit Drug Abuse
Speaker: Dr. Ronni Brown
Date: Friday, October 17, 2025
Time: 8:45am - 12:00pm - includes a 15 minute break
Location: Zoom / Webinar link to be provided 24hrs prior to start of course
Substance abuse is at an all-time “high” in this country with an estimated 1 out of every 10 Americans addicted to prescription or illicit drugs. As dental professionals, we must awaken to the reality that many of our patients have substance-use disorders and that our examination findings of advanced caries, severe hyposalivation, and poor plaque control are often the effects of depressant, stimulant, and opioid abuse. Learn how to recognize the clues of substance abuse from a routine dental examination, discuss your concerns and suspicions with patients, develop and deliver safe and effective dental treatment, and manage pain with non-opioid medications.
*Note: Course content does not include marijuana
Learning Objectives
- How to identify the three categories of drugs (opioids, depressants, and stimulants) most abused by patients.
- How to recognize the physical, behavioral, and oral clues of substance misuse during a routine dental examination.
- How to discuss substance misuse with patients using motivational-interviewing techniques. - Office policies that safeguard both patients and practices.
- Evidence-based practices for managing dental pain with non-addictive analgesics.
- How to develop treatment plans, using a caries-risk assessment for patients with substance-use disorders.
Style: Lecture
Cost: $110.00 - $220.00
Intended Audience: G, S, DH, DA, DL, OP
Conflict of Interest / Financial Disclosure: N/A
Course Evaluation Form:
Course Exam Link: https://forms.office.com/r/VPG2AJHCbc?origin=lprLink
Antibiotic Stewardship (3 CEs)
Course: Antibiotic Stewardship
Speaker: Dr. Erinne Kennedy
Date: November 7, 2025
Time: 8:45am - 12:00pm (Includes a 15 minute break)
Location: Zoom - link to be provided 24hrs prior to the start of the course
Nationally, US dentists prescribe 13% of outpatient antibiotics prescriptions; however, the prescribing
habits of dentists are poorly understood. Although the benefits of antibiotics for patient health and
wellbeing have been well-documented, these potential lifesavers can also result in a range of adverse
reactions including serious population level concerns such as antibiotic resistant infections.
This session will define the challenges with antibiotic use, enumerate the roles of dentists in the future
of antibiotic stewardship, and discuss best practices in other healthcare professions. We will review the
current evidence base for antibiotic use in dentistry and review best practices for dental clinicians.
Participants will be shown an example of an antibiotic stewardship program that was implemented at
the state level, and brainstorm programs and policies that have the potential to work in their state.
Lastly, participants will discuss future policy state
and national options for antibiotic stewardship.
Course objectives
- Define roles of dentists and state dental directors in antibiotic stewardship.
- Describe evidence-based guidelines for antibiotic use in dentistry.
- Understand the mindset shift and influence clinical guidelines have on clinical practice.
- Identify and utilize resources that can be used chairside to make clinical decisions for antibiotic stewardship.
Style: Virtual
Lecture Cost: $110.00 - $220.00
Intended Audience: G, S, DH, DA, DL, OP
Conflict of Interest / Financial Disclosure: N/A
MDA Annual Convention
Save the Date!
Restoration of the Mouth & Mind
June 11-13, 2026
Bar Harbor, ME
Keynote Speakers:
- Thursday, June 11, 2026 - From Single Implants to Full Arch Hybrids: Immediate Placement and Complication Strategies by Steven Litwin, DDS
- Friday, June 12, 2026 - The Cavity-Free Menu: A Minimally Invasive Guide to Managing a High Caries Risk Patient by Nathaniel Lawson, DMD, PhD
Stay tuned for details on speakers, topics, and registration. This will be a unique opportunity to restore both your professional skills and personal well-being while connecting and celebrating with colleagues from across Maine and beyond.
The 2026 Annual Convention is brought to you by the Maine Dental Association, Maine Dental Hygienists’ Association and the Maine Orthodontic Association.
New Dental Tools by MaineCare
Dental Tools
MaineCare’s Dental Workgroup has created a new Questions & Answers (Q&A) document and a dental webpage with resources for MaineCare providers. The Q&A document includes questions about billing, prior authorizations, system training opportunities, enrolling new providers, missed appointments, interpreter services, and more that we received from providers in the two dental forums in July and August. As we add new questions, we will make them green to indicate which questions are new. We will also add the date the document is updated in green.
The Q&A can be found on our new Dental Services webpage. This webpage is intended for dental service providers and billers and includes tools and information such as the presentation slides and recordings of the dental forums.
