Dear DC Dental Society Members,

It gives me great pleasure to start this newsletter with a wonderful announcement. Our very own DCDS member, Dr. Eric Bradshaw, was recently appointed Chair of the Board of Dentistry. Congratulations Dr. Bradshaw! He replaces Dr. Michelle Latortue who was serving as chair since 2025. Dr. Imani Lewis, another DCDS member, continues in his role as Vice Chair, a position he has held since last year. DC Dental Society is pleased to see such a presence on the Board of Dentistry as we continue to advocate for our members and the residents of the District of Columbia.

It’s important to note that with the departure of Dr. Latortue a vacancy is now present on the Board of Dentistry. DCDS members who have interest in serving are encouraged to apply through the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments (MOTA): https://motaboards.applytojob.com/apply/9DGkJu/Board-Of-Dentistry

Advocacy Update

DCDS continues to advocate on our members behalf. The following projects are currently underway to support the expansion of the dental work force:

The Future Smiles Act – a program supporting the establishment of a training program for high school students to graduate as Level 2 Dental Assistants.

• Creating a pathway to licensure for internationally trained dentists/dental hygienists as well as students who passed the National Board Exam Part 2

A Call to Action will be issued to DCDS members asking them to write to the DC Council to call for actions to support the expansion of the dental work force. Please watch for this to support our efforts in eliminating barriers that would undermine the ability to train students.

Continuing Education Events

The next upcoming monthly meeting will take place Tuesday June 2^nd from 6:00 – 8:15 PM. Please note it will be held in person at Maggiano's Chevy Chase, 5333 Wisconsin Avenue, NW in Washington, DC. The topic is Geriatric House Call Dentistry a Practical and Sustainable Care Model for an Aging Population and our presenter will be Alisa Kauffman, DMD, Geriatric House Call Dentistry. Please register by noon on Friday if you plan to attend in person. A recording will be available for those who are not able to join us at Maggiano's.

Note that this will be the last continuing education event before taking a break for the summer. Our programming will pick back up again on September 1^st with a webinar by Dr. Marianna Evans on Sleep Apnea and Oral Appliances. The full line up of CE programs can be explored on our CE Meetings web page.

I hope you will join us for a new DCDS event coming in October, Tooth Talks: The Mid-Atlantic Dental Meeting. This all-day event will take place on Saturday, October 17^th at the Hotel AKA in Alexandria. The program features speaker Dr. Melissa Seibert who will be addressing various clinical topics alongside a panel of specialists with a focus on “back to basics.” Additional information and registration is now available through this link to the Tooth Talks web pages, I would also like to again acknowledge the following DCDS members who worked tirelessly to develop this innovative program: Drs. Austin Harbison, Jamie Progebin and Paul Cohen.

Help us plan our educational programming for 2027. Please take a few minutes to let us know what topics you want to learn more about through our continuing education program by participating in our Annual Educational Needs Assessment Survey. Participants have the option to enter to win a $50 Starbucks gift card*!

Out and About in the Community

DCDS will host a World Cup watch party at Flight Club on Tuesday, July 7^th from 5:30-7:30 PM. This event will be a great way to connect with your friends and colleagues in the DC dental community while enjoying complimentary appetizers and drinks** and rooting for your favorite soccer team! Please RSVP for this event so we have an accurate head count.

We are also organizing a volunteer activity to connect with our colleagues while helping some of the most vulnerable members of our community. An event we participated in last year, Maria’s Meals, is offering the following dates: August 12^th and September 9^th. This is a program that is organized through Catholic Charities DC and delivers meals to those in need at 924 G Street, NW, outside of the James Cardinal Hickey Center. Distribution is from 5-6 PM with an arrival around 4:30PM to help with set up. If interested in participating please sign up via our online form.

Other social events are feverishly being planned by our membership/new membership committees. As those events are finalized details will be passed along. Watch for details on a free workout class at Barry’s Dupont Circle and other activities for DCDS members to support your health and wellness.

To close out this month’s newsletter I would like to leave you with this quote from Peter Ellyard, futurist, strategist and speaker:

“The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths to it are not found, but made; and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination.”

Warm Regards,

Kim Menhinick, DDS, MS, FICD

President 2026-2027

* Sweepstakes Rules: No purchase necessary. Winner will be determined via a random, anonymous draw (i.e., chance/sweepstakes). Only complete entries submitted by a dentist in DC will be eligible and only one entry per person. Odds of winning will be determined by the number of eligible submissions received, and all eligible entries will have equal odds of winning.

** Space is limited. The first 40 DCDS members will receive 2  free drink tickets for beer, wine and soft drinks.