10 Pediatric Dentistry Today • November 2003 Legislative and Regulatory Update

On Sept. 12-13, 2003, 16 pediatric dentists fromaround the country gathered in Oak Brook, Ill. for the4th annual Legislative Workshop for Pediatric DentistryLeaders. The Council on Government Affairs, in coop-eration with the ADA’s Department of State GovernmentAffairs, and with the generous underwriting support ofthe John O. Butler Company, sponsored the two-dayworkshop. The goal of the workshop was to assist AAPDmembers with efforts at the state and local level, as well asbuild a national “grass roots” network for work on federalissues, and sharing of critical information for legislativeadvocacy. So far the AAPD has trained 64 advocates from29 different states. Presidents of AAPD-recognized stateunit organizations nominate the participants.

The workshop program included:Overview of the State Legislative Process, IncludingProcess for Bill Introduction and Passage

Speaker: Jon B. Holtzee, ADA Department of StateGovernment Affairs Director

Legislative Strategies: Defining an Issue, Building aCoalition, Assessing Possible Opposition

Speaker: Elizabeth Snow, California DentalAssociation Director of Government Relations

Reform Proposals from the Bush Administration,Governors and Other Pending Threats to Medicaid

Speaker: Burton L. Edelstein, Children’s DentalHealth Project Founding Director

The Latest on Promising Market-Based MedicaidDental Reforms:

— In AlabamaMary McIntyre, Associate Medical Director ofthe Alabama State Medicaid AgencyRichard Simpson, Pediatric Dentist fromAlabama and AAPD “Advanced Advocate”

— NationwideJames J. Crall, AAPD Child Advocate

Current ADA Public Policy IssuesSpeaker: Albert H. Guay, ADA Chief Policy Advisor

General Anesthesia Coverage:

— Cost data for battle with the insurance industrySpeaker: Jessica Y. Lee, Consultant to Councilon Government Affairs and Council onDental Benefit Programs (research funded bythe AAPD)

Political Campaigns, Fundraising and Update on theAAPD PAC

Speaker: John A. Bogert, AAPD PAC SteeringCommittee Chair

AAPD’s Federal Child Oral Health AgendaSpeaker: C. Scott Litch, AAPD Deputy ExecutiveDirector and General Counsel

Legislative Workshop Build

In addition, participants completed two interactiveexercises: “mock” legislative visits to simulate the actualexperience of visiting a state legislator, and simulated statelegislative committee hearings. Participants drafted a one-page statement, and testified using various personae:among those adopted were a social worker, Head Startcoordinator, WIC coordinator, parent and school teacher.They were then “grilled” by legislators/role players. Thelobbying topic was a hypothetical proposal to mandatean annual state Medicaid review and update of dentalfees, with slightly different Senate and House bills. Par-ticipants received constructive comments on their efforts,and all did an outstanding job.

Some of the participant evaluation results and com-ments from the workshop are as follows:

• All respondents agreed or strongly agreed that theirknowledge of the legislative process was substan-tially increased.

• All respondents agreed or strongly agreed that as aresult of the workshop they acquired skills that willenhance their ability to advocate for pediatric den-tistry issues.

• All respondents agreed or strongly agreed that theworkshop was overall a most valuable experience.On this question, 2/3 “strongly agreed.”

• All respondents agreed or strongly agreed that theywould encourage other pediatric dentists to par-ticipate in a similar experience.

• “Wonderful experience. You might want tolengthen the experience.”

• “Good to actually force me to be able to plan andrespond with coherent messages to necessary leg-islative issues.”

• “Exercise could be a little clearer.”

• “Thank you very much; this was a wonderful ex-perience and a great learning experience.”

For further information, please contact Deputy Ex-ecutive Director and General Counsel C. Scott Litch at(312) 337-2169 ext. 29 or slitch@aapd.org.

Legislative and Regulatory Update 11Pediatric Dentistry Today • November 2003

s Strong Advocacy Network

“Representative” Elizabeth Snow with “constituents” H.Pitts Hinson and Edward H. Moody Jr.

Lourdes M. Secola-Ocanto (left) and Rebecca M. Fricke(center) of Nebraska meet with “Senator” James J. Crall(right).

Mary McIntyre, associate medical director of theAlabama Medicaid Agency (left) and Nebraskapediatric dentist Lourdes M. Secola-Ocanto (right)relax at the Friday night dinner.

Attendees and faculty of the Legislative Workshop for Pediatric Dentistry Leaders. Seated, left to right, are: Ryan J. Hughes (Ore.), Edward H. Moody Jr. (Tenn.- AAPD PACSteering Committee District III representative), Tegwyn L. Hughes (Va.), Lourdes M. Secola-Ocanto (Neb.), Tamela L. Gough (Texas), Brian S. Martin (Pa.- member, AAPDCouncil on Government Affairs).

Standing, left to right, are: C. Scott Litch (AAPD deputy executive director and general counsel), Philip H. Hunke (Texas- AAPD secretary-treasurer), H. Pitts Hinson (Tenn.-AAPD vice president), Neophytos “Ned” L. Savide (Ill.- AAPD president-elect), Paul A. Reggiardo (Calif.- AAPD president), Richard D. Udin (Calif.), Warren A. Brill (Md.-chair, Council on Dental Benefit Programs), Martin J. Makowski (Mich.), Kenneth B. Rogers (Fla.), Eric A. Downey (Ore.), Richard A. Simpson (Ala.- 2003 workshop“graduate” and faculty member), and John S. Rutkauskas (AAPD executive director).

Not pictured: Nelle V. Barr (Colo.); John A. Bogert, chair, AAPD PAC Steering Committee; Harry O. Channon (Ill.); James J. Crall, AAPD child advocate; Burton L. Edelstein,founding director, Children’s Dental Health Project; Rebecca M. Fricke (Neb.); Al Guay, ADA chief policy advisor; Jon B. Holtzee, director, ADA Department of State GovernmentAffairs; David C. Johnsen, chair, AAPD Council on Government Affairs; Jessica Y. Lee, consultant, AAPD Council on Government Affairs and Council on Dental BenefitPrograms; Mark S. Lisagor, AAPD PAC Steering Committee District VI representative; Mary McIntyre, associate medical director, Alabama Medicaid Agency; Sara Milo, AAPDFoundation director; and Elizabeth Snow, director of government relations, California Dental Association.

A panel of concerned citizens testifies beforethe “State House Health Committee.”Pictured, from left to right, are: Martin J.Makowski, Kenneth B. Rogers, Tegwyn L.Hughes and Brian S. Martin.

(left to right) “Senators” Warren A. Brill, Paul A. Reggiardo and John A. Bogert listen totestimony before the “State Senate Health Committee.”