The Colorado Dental Association welcomes its 139th president, Dr. Jeff Lodl. Dr. Lodl has a long history of volunteering for professional dentistry and in the community and has been in private practice in Wheat Ridge and Arvada since 1987. “It is important to volunteer for the CDA to help keep dentistry moving forward,” Dr. Lodl said. “The CDA does a tremendous …
Rulemaking Underway for the Dental Practice Act: Some Rules Effective June 30
In 2025, the CDA successfully passed the Dental Practice Act Sunset bill (SB25-194) reflecting priorities and policies that support our member dentists. While a huge victory, that was only half of the process — now the Colorado Dental Board is required to adopt rules to implement the bill. Over the last year, the Colorado Dental Board has held stakeholder meetings …
July 1 Changes to State Funded Dental Programs
Despite the dire state of the 2026 Colorado government budget, where the Joint Budget Committee(JBC) of the legislature was forced to cut upwards of $1.5 billion in state spending, the CDA was able to advocate for access to oral healthcare and has prevented more severe targeted cuts that could have jeopardized the viability of state-funded dental programs. Recap of Past …
Finding Freedom from Stress in Private Practice
From the 2026 Spring Journal of the Colorado Dental Association: Finding Freedom from Stress in Private Practice, By Eric Chatterley, D.D.S. Focus on What Gives You Energy, Not What Drains It If you’ve been feeling stressed, frustrated, overwhelmed or just “off” in your practice, you’re not alone. Many dentists quietly carry stress, believing it’s just part of the career. But …
Cut to the Chase
From the 2026 Spring Journal of the Colorado Dental Association: Cut to the Chase, By David Geck, D.D.S., M.S. We often ask someone to “Cut to the Chase,” a phrase that has its origins in the early film industry, where the “chase” was considered the most exciting part of the movie. In this article, the “chase” refers to the issues …
Taking the Path of Military Dentistry
From the Spring 2026 Journal of the Colorado Dental Association: By Nicole Wirth, Maj, USAF, DC, AEGD-1 Deputy Director When civilians hear that I’m in the military, the first thing they ask is, “So what do you do?” When I reply, “I’m a dentist,” the responses are typically ones of confusion and surprise. The majority of the civilian population doesn’t …
Treating Aging Generations
From the 2026 Spring Journal of the Colorado Dental Association Treating Aging Generations By Becky O’Guin, CDA Director of Communications As more Coloradans age and develop Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, learning to care for this vulnerable population is important. The state population of ages 65 years and over increased by 30,000 between 2023 and 2024, according to the Colorado …
Trapezius Myalgia: Making dentistry a Pain in the Neck — or Head
From the 2026 Spring Journal of the Colorado Dental Association by Dr. Bethany Valachi, PT, DPT, MS, CEAS By midmorning, it starts … again; the all-too-familiar “tension headache” that soon evolves into a headache behind the dentist’s right eye and pain in his right temple. In an adjacent operatory, the hygienist experiences burning pain on the left side of her …
2026 Colorado Legislative Session Ends – How Did Dentists Fare?
The CDA had a very successful 2026 state legislative session, thanks to the dedication and direct advocacy of CDA members and the work of CDA staff and contract lobbyists. This year, the CDA achieved passage of dental insurance reform in House Bill 1070, which addresses the practice of network leasing (also known as “umbrella plans”) by insurance carriers. With the …
Fifty Six Years and Counting: The Many Lives of Dr. Ron Brown
From the 2026 Spring Journal of the Colorado Dental Association by Casey Rhines, D.D.S., CDA Editor Standing at 5’5”, Dr. Ron Brown and I see eye-to-eye, literally and figuratively. Despite exactly 50 years between our graduations, we have become friends who share Chinese takeout recommendations (we maintain that Hong Kong Station is the best in Denver) and anecdotes about our …
