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 …
CDA Advocacy Ushers in Insurance Reform Legislation
After vigorous advocacy by the CDA and its members, Gov. Polis signed HB-1070 into law April 13. This bill addresses network leasing practices by dental insurance plans, making it required that dentists opt-in to leased networks rather than their services being leased by insurance companies without their knowledge or consent. Colorado’s network lease law will be the strongest and most …
You Deserve to Be Here: Imposter Syndrome in the Dental Profession
From the Spring 2026 Journal of the Colorado Dental Association By Casey Rhines, D.D.S., CDA Editor I recently gave a lecture on imposter syndrome at an American Student Dental Association conference and noted that this experience is not isolated to dental students. In fact, new dentists are especially and uniquely vulnerable to experiencing imposter syndrome. Many of us, even …
Legislative Update April 1, 2026
Someone is always watching, listening, observing and calculating the next move. That someone is the CDA. The CDA works behind the scenes and in front of the curtain, yet few members truly know what the CDA does every week to protect their practices and advocate for their futures. Second only to our battles at the state Capitol and in regulatory …
