{"id":21460,"date":"2025-05-01T15:25:47","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T19:25:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.michigandental.org\/?page_id=21460"},"modified":"2025-11-04T10:25:47","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T15:25:47","slug":"mda-at-your-service-column","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.michigandental.org\/mda-journal\/current-journal-issue\/mda-at-your-service-column\/","title":{"rendered":"MDA At Your Service Column"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1698696973333{margin-top: -40px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-color: #009ba7 !important;}&#8221; el_class=&#8221;white-text&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h1>MDA At Your Service Column<\/h1>\n<p><nav  aria-label=\"breadcrumb\"><ol class=\"breadcrumb\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BreadcrumbList\"><li class=\"breadcrumb-item active\" aria-current=\"page\" itemprop=\"itemListElement\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ListItem\"><span itemprop=\"name\">Home<\/span><meta itemprop=\"position\" content=\"1\"><\/li><\/ol><\/nav>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>Avoiding a Ransomware Attack: The MDA Can Help<\/h2>\n<p>By MDA Staff with Rachel Sinacola, DDS<br \/>\nChair, MDA Committee on Membership<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong> A dentist colleague down the road shared he was a victim of a ransomware attack. Hackers locked down the practice system and demanded payment to release their info. How can I protect my patients and my practice so this doesn\u2019t happen to me?[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1761596217765{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<strong>Answer:<\/strong> Here\u2019s a checklist to get your started on making sure your practice is protected:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ensure you have a cyber liability insurance policy that provides 24\/7 response.<\/li>\n<li>Create and test an Incident Response Plan: Designate key contacts, establish offline communication, and identify mission-critical data.<\/li>\n<li>Maintain secure, tested backups (including one offline).<\/li>\n<li>Use strong password policies and multi-factor authentication.<\/li>\n<li>Keep all systems patched and updated.<\/li>\n<li>Train staff to spot phishing emails.<\/li>\n<li>If an incident occurs: Contact your IT network manager\/firm, disconnect infected systems, preserve evidence, and notify your insurer immediately.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Cyber liability coverage is available to MDA members through MDA Insurance. Coverage provides proactive monitoring, 24\/7 claims response, expert forensic support, and coverage for breach response, ransomware, and regulatory defense. As you\u2019re realizing with the situation your colleague is in, it is important to have protection before an incident occurs. For a ransomware preparedness toolkit and to request a quote, contact MDA Insurance Account Executive <a href=\"mailto:madler@mdaifg.com\">Melanie Adler<\/a> at 517-346-9464.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong> I received my 2026 membership renewal in the mail, but my local society isn\u2019t correct. What should I do?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Answer:<\/strong> Your local society is based on your practice address county. If a member doesn\u2019t have a practice address, the home address is typically used. To change your local society, please contact the MDA membership department at <a href=\"mailto:membership@michigandental.org\">membership@michigandental.org<\/a>. Make sure you update your local society before you renew so that you are paying the correct amount.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;24094&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;custom_link&#8221; img_link_target=&#8221;_blank&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1761596295218{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221; title=&#8221;\u2014 advertisement \u2014&#8221; link=&#8221;https:\/\/www.easyrefine.com&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<strong>Question:<\/strong> I\u2019ve always sent in a check to renew my membership, but I\u2019d like to pay with a credit card this year. What\u2019s the best way to pay my dues with a credit card?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Answer:<\/strong> Great question. Paying with a credit card is very easy, and there are two ways to do it. The easiest is to log in to the MDA website and your new Member Compass, where you can access your membership profile and renew membership. Once logged in, you can verify your contact information is correct and pay your balance. You also have the option to store your credit card for future purchases and set up auto-renewal for next year so that your membership never lapses. The second option is to call the MDA office at 800-589-2632, select 1, and then 1 again to pay your dues over the phone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong> I\u2019m selling my practice and retiring from full-time dentistry at the end of the year. I\u2019d like to still practice occasionally and wondered if there\u2019s a way to help others through the MDA?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Answer:<\/strong> Congratulations on the sale of your practice and retirement! The MDA keeps a list of member dentists who are willing to help out in a locum tenens situation. When a member asks the MDA for help in finding coverage for their practice, the MDA shares a list of dentists who have said they are willing to help out. This MDA COVER program is very helpful to members in a time of need, and always looking for new volunteers. You can message the MDA membership team at <a href=\"mailto:membership@michigandental.org\">membership@michigandental.org<\/a> to let them know you\u2019d like to be added to the list.<\/p>\n<p>One more thing: Make sure to let the membership team know about your retirement too. You\u2019ll want to fill out a retired affidavit so your association membership can be updated, which will come with a discount.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row disable_element=&#8221;yes&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>Can I Be a Member of Two Different Local Dental Societies?<\/h2>\n<p>By MDA Staff with Rachel Sinacola, DDS<br \/>\nChair, MDA Committee on Membership<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong> I recently bought a second practice in a different area than my current practice. It\u2019s closer to my home, so I\u2019d like to connect with dentists and get involved in this area, as well as stay connected to where my other practice is located. Can I be a member of both local dental societies?[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1758659304258{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<strong>Answer:<\/strong> Your membership with the MDA is a tripartite membership, so in addition to your MDA membership it includes the ADA and one local dental society. You have a potential option to add another local society membership, as some local societies offer affiliate membership, usually for a fee. Other local societies may allow you to register and pay for specific events, and\/or add your contact information to their communication list. Contact the local society directly to find out what options are available to you. If you need help connecting with the local society or want to formally change your local society, message the MDA membership team at <a href=\"mailto:membership@michigandental.org\">membership@michigandental.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong> Does the MDA have travel insurance available?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Answer:<\/strong> Yes, the MDA offers travel medical insurance through GeoBlue. This coverage is recommended for international mission work or leisure travel, and is especially beneficial for Medicare recipients, as original Medicare provides only $50,000 of coverage outside the United States. Most U.S. health plans require you to pay out-of-pocket for international medical expenses. Most medical costs are paid by the policy, as long as you have a primary health insurance policy. It includes benefits such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>24\/7 phone, web, mobile, and telemedicine support.<\/li>\n<li>Prescription drug availability.<\/li>\n<li>Mental health services.<\/li>\n<li>Medical evacuation.<\/li>\n<li>Health care-related translation services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>There are several plans to choose from, including single- or multi-trip options, and you can enroll on the day you depart for your trip. For assistance or more information, you can contact MDA Insurance at 800-860-2272.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong> If I checked the box for auto-renew on last year\u2019s dues statement, when will my dues be deducted?[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;24094&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;custom_link&#8221; img_link_target=&#8221;_blank&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1758658293680{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221; title=&#8221;\u2014 advertisement \u2014&#8221; link=&#8221;https:\/\/www.easyrefine.com&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1758659368427{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]<strong>Answer:<\/strong> MDA members who selected the auto-renewal box when paying the previous year\u2019s dues would typically see their first dues payment in mid-December. However, the MDA team has made some changes to support you and make access to your information easier. This fall the MDA is launching new association management software that will make it easier for you to engage with the MDA. This means you\u2019ll need to log in to your new member profile to pay your membership dues and set up auto-renewal again. The MDA will be sharing lots of information about this change and how you can access your member profile. Keep an eye on your MDA print and e-publications and social media for more information. Auto-renewal helps make sure you never forget to renew your membership. If you have questions about setting up auto-renew or membership dues, contact the MDA at <a href=\"mailto:membership@michigandental.org\">membership@michigandental.org<\/a> or at 800-589-2632.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong> I\u2019m looking for clarity about the exact duties that a dental assistant can perform, vs. a registered dental assistant. Does the MDA have something that outlines the duties clearly?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Answer:<\/strong> The MDA offers a Delegation of Duties chart that member dentists and their teams find helpful. Information on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigandental.org\/practice-resources\/regulatory-compliance\/delegation-of-duties\/\">Delegation of Duties<\/a> is available on the MDA website. There is a Delegation of Duties chart in PDF form that can be downloaded and shared with your office.<\/p>\n<p><em>Have a question? Need assistance? Think MDA first! Send questions to <a href=\"mailto:membership@michigandental.org\">membership@michigandental.org<\/a>. Questions and answers of general interest will be published in the Journal each month.<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1698696973333{margin-top: -40px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-color: #009ba7 !important;}&#8221; el_class=&#8221;white-text&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;] MDA At Your Service Column [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;] Avoiding a Ransomware Attack: The MDA Can Help By MDA Staff with Rachel Sinacola, DDS Chair, MDA Committee on Membership Question: A dentist colleague down the road shared he was a victim of a ransomware [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":21409,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-template-full-width.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","protect_children":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-21460","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2025-11-17 13:46:05","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.michigandental.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21460","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.michigandental.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.michigandental.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.michigandental.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.michigandental.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21460"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/www.michigandental.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21460\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24627,"href":"https:\/\/www.michigandental.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21460\/revisions\/24627"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.michigandental.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.michigandental.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}