4
New Mexico Dental Journal, Spring 2016
President’s Message
Michael Law, DDS
C
olleagues, I hope everyone is having a great early spring (at least we are having an
early spring in Las Cruces). I will say it has been a steady last couple of months.
Legislatively, not much progressed on the bill that our joint task force created
addressing dental access to care and dental therapist. The bill was introduced and given
a bill number, but was not heard due to it being a short fiscal legislative session this year
requiring the bill to receive the governors message in order to be heard, which it did not
due most likely to other bills in the state that had higher priorities. Even though it was not
heard in this session, it will still most likely be introduced at next year’s legislative session,
which will be a standard session. I encourage everyone to read the bill that was drafted
for this year’s session; you can find at
www.nmlegis.gov,the number associated with it is
HB 191 or SB 217.
Switching gears, at the January Board of Trustees meeting, a Mentorship Program, a new
membership benefit, was voted in place. This benefit will be offered to our new dentists
and will link them together with other member dentists that have been in practice for a
number of years in order for them to ask questions about dentistry, discuss cases with them,
etc. Each component is in the process of putting this benefit into place and getting it up
and running in your community.
Don’t forget to sign up for Mission of Mercy from April 7–10 at the Santa Fe Convention
Center. The New Mexico Dental Association Foundation needs help, so if you or someone
you know is willing and able, please sign up, it is an experience you’ll never forget.
Finally, the New Mexico Dental Association’s Annual Session “Denim and Diamonds
Dentistry” is June 2–4th at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Drs. Brian Dennis and
Al Lopez along with our NMDA staff have put together an amazing convention with
speakers that include Dr. Tierona Low Dog, Dr. Sanda Moldovan, Dr. Rhonda Savage,
and Dr. Gary DeWood to name a few. If you haven’t already, register you and your staff
for this amazing convention.
As always, thank you for the opportunity to serve you. If you have any questions, please
let me know.
Sincerely,
Michael Law, DDS
NMDA President 2015–2016
[email protected]575-524-5812
leadership