2024 Legislative Successful for Dentists and Patients

From dental insurance reform to maintaining the current structure of the Iowa Dental Board is was a busy legislative session marked with multiple successes for dentists and patients.
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IDPAC Needs Your Support

While the IDA’s presence at the Iowa Statehouse continues to grow, we need to ensure we can continue to build relationships with key legislators. Our BEST advocacy tool is IDPAC. By contributing to IDPAC, you are investing in our advocacy work and the future of dentistry in Iowa. Help us continue protecting your ability to practice and serve your patients.
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IDEAS25 Coming to Des Moines

IDEAS is returning to the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, May 8-10, 2025. We hope to see you there!

Thank You IMOM 2024 Volunteers!

The Siouxland area is smiling a bit brighter after IMOM 2024. The clinic served 847 patients with a total of 4,376 dental procedures performed. The total value of dental services provided was $779,536. This was only possible because of the donated time, talent and dedication of our 937 volunteers, our sponsors, and the support from the Siouxland community. THANK YOU!

Welcome to the Iowa Dental Association

The Iowa Dental Association (IDA) is the premier professional association representing dentists in the state of Iowa. In existence since 1863, the IDA is home to over 1,800 Iowa dentists, which represents approximately 80% of the licensed dentists in the state.  

All IDA member dentists are not only members of the IDA, but also the American Dental Association (ADA) and their local district society.

IDA’s mission is to encourage the improvement of the health of the public, to promote the art and science of dentistry, and to represent the interests of the members of the dental profession and the public which it serves.  

In the News

Thank You to Outgoing President Dr. Jim Larsen

Jun 5, 2024
Published 4/30/24

IDEAS always marks a time of change for the IDA. It also allows us to reflect on the work of our outgoing IDA President, Dr. James Larsen. Dr. Larsen worked to ensure the IDA continued to move toward a better position than when he assumed the presidency, and he pushed the IDA to achieve new heights that will pave the path to a better future for IDA members.

Many of you may know Dr. Larsen as a soft-spoken and thoughtful man. However, one of his strongest leadership qualities is providing a solid foundation and support base, thereby setting up others for great success. Dr. Larsen would sit in on every legislative committee call but would often remain silent during the calls. Once the call was over, he encouraged the IDA advocacy team behind the scenes and made sure they had the knowledge and resources necessary to continue fighting on behalf of Iowa dentists. 

This led to one of the most successful IDA legislative sessions in years. His leadership and direction pushed the IDA to pass the first dental insurance reform legislation in Iowa in over a decade and retained the current structure and dentists' positions on the Iowa Dental Board when other professional boards were being eliminated, consolidated, or decreased in size. 

Under Dr. Larsen’s leadership, the IDA is third in the country for membership market share, up from fourth last year. This was driven by Dr. Larsen’s continued desire for the IDA to offer more benefits to its members. During his presidency, he helped usher in and was one of the first in line to promote the new IDA-endorsed benefits through Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust and the 401k Plan through Jon Heim and Derek Hertges with the Principal Financial Network. He wants dentists to know the IDA continues to work hard so dentists can better focus on their patients and their practices. 

 

Whether it was at the numerous IDA Board or district meetings across the state, the Iowa Mission of Mercy in Waterloo, or the ADA Dentists and Student Lobby Day in Washington DC, Dr. Larsen worked for a better future. His tireless efforts did not go unnoticed, and we are proud to express our thanks and gratitude to Dr. Larsen for sharing his time and talents with us over the past year. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Larsen on a wonderful presidency! 

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