Dr. Yanique Le-Cadre
Message From the President
Greetings members of NYSSO! Summer season brings with it a sense of rejuvenation and opportunity. It is a time when we reflect on our accomplishments, recharge our energies, and set new goals for the future.
I am incredibly proud of the achievements we have made since our last newsletter. Our continuing education program was a great success! Thank you to our friends at The University of Buffalo for their support and to our speaker Chris Bentson for a fantastic lecture.
Our efforts to increase engagement with NYS orthodontic residents has resulted in great interest from residents to attend the upcoming NESO and AAO meetings. To help offset the cost of attendance, a stipend will be offered from NYSSO and NESO for any orthodontic resident from a NY training program to attend the NESO Annual Meeting in Montreal. I am proud of these efforts to invest in the future leaders of our great profession and look forward to planning another fun orthodontic resident social event in New York this fall, stay tuned!
We have made great strides in our advocacy efforts to address the dental assistant workforce shortage crisis. We secured funding from the AAO Component Legal Support Fund (CLSF). An extensive research comparison of dental assistant duties by state was completed showing that New York is one of the most restrictive states. A position paper with proposed recommendations for change crafted by Dr. Renee Pompei, was presented by Dr. Ken Cooperman to the State Board of Dentistry, and I thank them for their tireless efforts. AAO legal counsel, Trey Lawrence and I also attended. NYSSO will continue to work with AAO and NYSDA to find an equitable solution to the dental assistant workforce crisis. There simply are not enough registered dental assistants to meet the needs of the growing number of dentists in New York State. This is an issue of health equity that has a profound impact on the scope of orthodontic practice and the ability to provide efficient care, especially to those serving vulnerable populations.
I recently had the honor of speaking at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine convocation on behalf the Rutgers State University Board of Trustees on which I serve. In my message, I urged the new young dentists to get involved in organized dentistry because advocacy matters. I share this same message with you. Decisions made at the state level have a significant impact on the way we practice orthodontics. We have all made a significant financial investment and personal sacrifice to enter this profession that we love, and it is our duty to protect it. We are stronger together, get involved!
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as President of NYSSO. I am committed to working tirelessly on your behalf, advocating for our profession, and fostering an environment of collaboration and support. I am confident that together, we will continue to elevate the field of orthodontics to new heights in our great state!
Dr. Yanique Le-Cadre
President, NYSSO
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