Greater Houston Dental Society

One greenway Plaza Ste 110
Houston TX 77046
713-961-4337
www.ghds.org

The Greater Houston Dental Society (GHDS) is the local component of the Texas Dental Association (TDA) and the American Dental Association (ADA). Founded in 1904, the GHDS is the fourth largest component (local) society in the United States with over 1,600 member dentists. Our members are committed to providing the highest quality oral health care to the Greater Houston community and are dedicated to the principles of ethics, professional advancement, and advocacy. The mission of the Greater Houston Dental Society through education, services, and advocacy supports the area's dental profession in providing quality and ethical oral health care. Our purpose is to serve the needs of Greater Houston by promoting public and professional oral-health education.

GHDS PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Dear GHDS Family.

I am both excited and frankly a little nervous to take the helm during this strange, unsettling time. So much has already been happening, and it isn’t even mid-June yet! Our new Executive Director, Ms. Deanna Menesses has hit the ground running. She is examining all of our existing documents, policies, manuals, and protocols, and she, along with the rest of the staff, are working hard to inject new ideas, respond to the challenges of our new COVID-19 era, and in general, make us a leaner, meaner, and more relevant organization.

We have worked hard on the budget, and as you can imagine, things will be tight this year. With cancelled meetings in the Spring and meetings and sponsors both questionable for the fall, we are having to dig deep and make some difficult decisions, but are confident that we are heading in the right direction, and will be in a much stronger position this time next year. Please support our meetings and events this year, no matter what they might look like. Our success depends on you!

We are now holding most of our committee meetings via Zoom, which began as a response to COVID-19, but is now being planned as a possible way of the future to include more people who may live on the outskirts of our district and find it hard to travel in Houston rush hour traffic to Greenway Plaza to meet in person. We are hoping this will save money, and be a more inclusive way to conduct business.

I know how hard you are all working to keep your offices afloat, to maintain your staff, all the while making sure you follow PPP guidelines. There are some updates to the loan forgiveness conditions, which may ease some of your concerns. You can find updates at sba.gov. I know you are working in tough conditions these days. Many of you are wearing multiple layers of masks/face shields, at times with glasses fogging up, not sure what extremes to go to keep yourselves and your patients safe. But, the good news is that as ADA members, we have access to many benefits designed to help keep our practices up and running. These tools, and regularly updated pertinent information, are available on our local, state and national websites. Please utilize these benefits and rest assured that organized dentistry is working on your behalf every day.

I want you all to know that I am committed to making sure our organization feels like home to ALL dentists in the Greater Houston area. There has been no greater time in history that dentists need support, and the GHDS should be at the center of that effort. I look forward to my year as your President and welcome any ideas or concerns you may have.

Sincerely,

Kathy L. O’Keefe D.D.S., M.S.President Greater Houston Dental Society

 

Map of Greater Houston Dental Society One greenway Plaza Ste 110, Houston TX 77046

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