MEMBER PRODUCTS & SERVICES MEMBERSHIP PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS EDUCATION & TRAINING GOVERNANCE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS ENDORSED PARTNERSHIPS FOUNDATION KRISTEN MORGAN GDA Executive Director A MESSAGE FROM THE Executive Director Dear GDA Members, I am pleased to share with you an update on our progress and achievements over the first half of the year. Our collective efforts have enabled us to further enhance member value and engage more members. We have many accomplishments to celebrate. The 2024 legislative session was especially successful from budget requests to expanding loan repayments for dentists in rural areas. Our first statewide Law Day took place at the Capitol during the session and gave legislators and GDA members an opportunity to have meaningful discussions. The highlight of the summer was our annual GDA Convention and Expo, held in Georgia at Jekyll Island over the Fourth of July. We hosted nearly 700 people and offered a full range of CE courses, along with networking opportunities, inspirational speakers, and a fabulous fireworks celebration. We also made significant strides in our continuing education initiatives this year, introducing a phlebotomy course created by the GDA and approved by the Georgia Board of Dentistry. The first course was held in September at the GDA office. Additionally, two new member benefits were introduced to further enhance member value. In March, a new benefit was introduced that gave members a free job posting on the GDA Career Center. We also hosted three free online CE courses to help members meet license requirements. This year we made major updates to our website to improve the member experience including simplified navigation and reorganized content. You may have noticed that we increased our social media presence on every platform and members are responding and engaging. Through public relations and the GDA Foundation, we made an impact in the community by providing screenings at Special Olympics, Special Smiles, distributing “Smile Kits” during Children’s Dental Health Month, and promoting the importance of oral health to overall health through our public relations program. In the coming months, we are transitioning to a new association management system, which is our database for running the association. Work began earlier in the year and when the transition is complete it will ensure greater efficiency. I am proud of our accomplishments in the first half of the year. The remainder of the year we will continue to focus on our strategic priorities and remain committed to delivering exceptional value to all our members. — Kristen | 25 Sept 2024
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