Over the past year as president, it has been my pleasure to travel around the state visiting our local components. I found it amazing how unique each component is.
Successful local components are critical to the health of the dental association at all levels. Some of our components are thriving, while others are struggling to survive.
None of the components in Wisconsin have paid staff members to help run the business of the component. As a result, local dentist leaders are responsible for all activities. These local leaders often operate in a silo with little or no help from neighboring components, the Wisconsin Dental Association or American Dental Association.
That model needs to change.
By interacting with neighboring components, the chances for success of each event increases while demands on local leadership are reduced. By pooling the resources of multiple small components, opportunities for events become available that a single smaller component would not be able to accomplish.
I’m not suggesting every event be a collaboration, but partnering on one to two events each year could be a tremendous member benefit.
The WDA is here to facilitate and support these partnerships. If you are interested in sharing the load with your neighbors, the WDA can help make that a reality.
Contact your WDA Component Relations Coordinator Amy Bastic at [email protected] or 414-755-4126 for assistance.
Since the state is divided into regions that are geographically grouped, how about component presidents or component program chairmen (whoever is responsible for programs) getting together as a region at the beginning of their program year to coordinate? WDA could send component presidents the appropriate contact info and they could take it from there.
That’s a great idea! Are there any programs your component has Bob that are particularly conducive to collaboration?