Membership Has Its Benefits
The profession of dentistry is shaped by the people who practice it—people like you. The Fifth District Dental Society (FDDS) provides resources designed to support dentists throughout all stages of their careers from dental school to nearing retirement. Our office staff fields questions on a daily basis from patients, dentists, staff, vendors, insurance providers, media, governmental agencies, advocacy groups, and more. Here’s a brief summary of what we do. For a more detailed listing of Member Resources with links to providers click here.
Education
The FDDS presents courses throughout the year locally that include a multitude of CE and hands-on training about the latest clinical and technological advancements. In addition, we provide seminars for your dental staff. Three regularly scheduled seminars and the Central New York Dental Conference provide you and your staff with necessary CE credits plus opportunities to view the latest in dental products from vendors. Nonmembers pay double the advertised rate for courses. We also provide sponsorship to your county society seminars so that you are able to receive MCE credits for your registration renewal. You’re likely to find information on these topics and more on our two websites: 5dds.org and cnydc.org.
Protection
While you are busy with patients, the FDDS is working behind the scenes to provide you with resources to protect both your practice and profession. At the Fortress Insurance Company, protecting dentists is all they do. This is why the FDDS chose Fortress to be their endorsed Professional Liability Insurance provider. Only an FDDS member is able to purchase Fortress Insurance. Nonmembers must go elsewhere. If you ever have questions about an unresolved issue or dispute, our Peer Review council of local member dentists is standing by to help.
Practice Support
FDDS is always looking for new ways to help you run your practice. In fact, we created our website 5dds.org specifically to enable you to have important information at your fingertips. This is where you will find valuable resources including News & Alerts! and Continuing Education. There’s a Classified section that’ll put you on the fast track to a sale, purchase or associateship. Need Consent Forms or a current listing of dental staff available? You’ll find these too, but since this a member benefit, only members have access.
Representation
FDDS has a dedicated team of volunteers whose sole purpose is to advocate for the profession at the local, state and national levels. The FDDS provides many opportunities for member involvement. A member can represent their county as a governor, get involved in a committee, decide to go through the chairs, or simply attend a meeting. Our type of association, the tripartite, is at its best when all three levels function as a whole. But membership at the component level, the grass roots, is perhaps the most important of all. It’s where we hear from you, it’s where we get our direction, it’s where we find the passion to pursue the best for our members.
Community
As a member of the FDDS, you’re connected with a community of nearly 700 dentists who care enough to make a difference. The FDDS works to improve the oral health of Central New Yorkers by supporting the county dental societies in their efforts to meet community needs. And with the help of volunteers like you, we provide treatment and oral health education to individuals who would otherwise go without.