Send us a review. SUMMARY: Ryan Dunn, CEO of the Virginia Dental Association, reviews updates across the VDA strategic plan. He highlights General Assembly outcomes and legislation effective July 1. He notes ongoing opposition to a proposed $2,000 annual cap on adult Medicaid dental benefits and describes participation in a two-year Dental Access Partnership to…
Send us a review. SUMMARY: Ryan Dunn and Paul Logan of the Virginia Dental Association interview Keith Martin, interim president and CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, about 2026 Virginia General Assembly developments affecting small businesses, including dental practices. Martin reviews numerous bills that could have an impact on the way you run your…
Send us a review. SUMMARY: Richmond dentist Dr. Bob Bigelow discusses the Virginia Dental Association’s peer review/patient mediation benefit. Bigelow, involved for about three years, explains how mediation can resolve many patient complaints before they reach the Board of Dentistry, reducing stress and time for dentists and patients. Common issues include clinical problems, missed appointments,…
Send us a review. In this episode, Ryan Dunn reports that two workforce bills have passed the House and Senate and await the governor’s signature. The pending Virginia budget proposed a $2,000 annual cap on adult Medicaid dental benefits and opposes a late-session proposal to raise the medical malpractice cap from $2.7M to $6M, urging…
Send us a review. In this episode, Dr. Shweta Thackeray, a VCU School of Dentistry educator, inventor, and children’s author, discusses pediatric dental care and strategies to reduce children’s dental anxiety and improve family experiences. She explains how observing fearful children and stressed parents in pediatric clinics led her to focus on anxiety-free care and…
Send us a review. SUMMARY: In this episode, Ryan Dunn and Paul Logan provide updates on the Virginia General Assembly’s busy legislative session. They discuss the Virginia Dental Association’s (VDA) proactive efforts concerning oral healthcare legislation and budget requests. Key topics include the fate of House Bill 537, which sought to prohibit water fluoridation, and…
Send us a review. In this episode, Ryan Dunn and Paul Logan recap a successful Lobby Day and discuss legislation the VDA supports and opposes, including efforts to protect community water fluoridation, maintain adult Medicaid dental benefits, and strengthen the dental workforce. The episode also highlights VDA-backed bills to expand the VCU School of Dentistry,…
Send us a review. In this episode, Ryan Dunn, CEO at the Virginia Dental Association (VDA), is joined by Paul Logan, the VDA’s Director of Strategic Initiatives. They discuss the VDA’s focused advocacy efforts in anticipation of the 2026 General Assembly. Specifically, they highlight a ‘three-legged stool’ approach: advocating for increased budget for dental workforce…
Send us a review. EPISODE LENGTH: 43:45 SUMMARY: In this episode of The Fulcrum, the focus is on the recent ADA House of Delegates meeting, featuring updates from Virginia’s ADA delegates, Drs. Ralph Howell, Frank Iuorno, Justin Norbo, Elizabeth Reynolds, Jonathan Wong, and Brenda Young. Discussion topics include the unprecedented election of a president-elect from…
Send us a review. SUMMARY: In this episode, host Karen Wood interviews Dr. Austin Westover, a VDA member, multi-location practice owner, and President-elect of the Shenandoah Valley Dental Association. Dr. Westover shares his inspiring journey from being intrigued by dentistry through his father’s early exposure to becoming a multi-location practice owner. He details his experiences…