The Affordable Care Act, which was signed in 2010 and had major implementation milestones in January 2014, contains numerous provisions that will have implications for the field of dentistry and dentists as health care professionals and employers. California is at the national forefront in the implementation of these provisions.  Attendees will get an overview of the key elements of the Affordable Care Act, what it requires of dentists as employers, and what changes may occur in the delivery of oral health care as a result of health care reform at the national and state levels.

 Learning Outcomes:

1. Learn the impact of health care reform on dentists, the oral health care delivery system and the dental benefits market.

2. Gain greater knowledge of the specifics of the Affordable Care Act and its potential to affect the practice of dentistry.

3. Understand the implementation issues unique to California.

2.5 CE Credits

(20% Category)

Nicette Short is the Manager of Legislative Affairs for the California Dental Association.  Ms. Short’s work with CDA focuses on policy and advocacy regarding national health care reform implementation in California, as well as California’s publically funded dental programs.  Ms. Short has been a public policy advocate for more than 10 years, focusing on children’s health care policy and improving access to high-quality specialty care.  Before moving to public policy, she worked as a performance auditor in California and Louisiana, working to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of a variety of state and local governments.  Ms. Short has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Louisiana State University.