Dear Colleagues,

As we step into June, I’m pleased to share that our Society continues to make meaningful progress on both the advocacy and professional development fronts. From a proposed Medicaid fee increase to key policy considerations by the DC Board of Dentistry, your involvement is making a real impact—and there are important opportunities ahead to stay engaged.

Mayor Bowser Proposes Medicaid Fee Increase for Dentists

On May 26, Mayor Muriel Bowser unveiled her proposed FY26 DC budget under the theme “Grow DC.” Notably, the budget includes $8 million to increase reimbursement for dental services under Medicaid—marking what could be the first fee increase in more than 15 years.

While the updated Medicaid fee schedule has not yet been released, DCDS extends its sincere appreciation to Mayor Bowser and to all of you who have advocated for this change.

We encourage DC dentists to testify in support of this proposal at the DC Council hearing on Thursday, June 5, where the proposed budget for the Department of Health Care Finance budget will be reviewed.

Learn more about Mayor Bowser’s proposed budget: “Grow DC: Our Fiscal Year 2026 Budget”

Board of Dentistry to Consider DCDS Policy Proposals – June 18

Our Society has submitted several key proposals to improve staffing and scope of practice rules for both dental assistants and dentists. The DC Board of Dentistry is expected to take these up during their next meeting on Tuesday, June 18 at 9:00 AM. Members are encouraged to attend—virtually or in person.

DCDS proposals include:

• Botox & Dermal Filler Authorization – Allowing dentists to use Botox, neurotoxins, and dermal fillers.
• Repealing Level I Assistant Registration – Aligning DC with MD/VA to remove registration for basic assistants.
• Extending Supervised Practice to 120 Days – More flexibility for onboarding assistants.
• Reducing Registration Fees – Lowering the initial registration cost to $100.
• Eliminating Redundant Background Checks – Streamlining advancement processes for dental assistants.

These changes are aimed at reducing barriers and strengthening the dental workforce across DC.

Don’t Miss Our June CE Meeting – June 10

Join us for an engaging and educational evening with Dr. Kenneth Kurtz, who will present at DCDS headquarters on: “Surgical & Prosthetic Implant Complications”

 Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Dr. Kenneth Kurtz, Clinical Professor of Prosthodontics and Director, Division of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine

• Business Meeting Begins: 5:45 PM
• Educational Program Begins: Approximately 6:00 PM
• Format: Lecture

This promises to be a valuable session for all practitioners—please mark your calendars and bring a colleague!

 Professional Meetings in the District

DC will host several major dental conferences this year—including the final ADA SmileCon in its current format. These events offer excellent opportunities to connect, learn, and engage with colleagues from across the country:

• Academy for Sports Dentistry Global Symposium – June 26–28
• AAOMS Annual Meeting – September 15–20
• ADA SmileCon – October 23–25
    ▫️ DCDS Symposium for Licensure – October 25 – 2025 is a license renewal year. Complete all those courses required to renew your license in one place at the Symposium. We are excited to come back in person for the Symposium this year.

General registration for SmileCon and the DCDS Symposium for Licensure opens on June 11. DCDS members will have early access to registration on June 4. Watch for an announcement with the registration link.

We hope you’ll take advantage of these national events happening right in our own backyard.

Thank you, as always, for your continued involvement and dedication to our profession and our community. I look forward to seeing many of you this month and working together to build a stronger, more connected dental community in DC.

Warm regards,
Dr. Hillary Abel
President, District of Columbia Dental Society