Week in Review: NDA defends 'Big Soda' donations; Excellence Awards voting; and ransomware

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Almost 100 organizations, including the National Dental Association (NDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation accepted money from so-called "Big Soda" corporations, according to a new study published this week. Assistant Editor Theresa Pablos obtained an exclusive interview with one of the co-authors of the study, which you can read here.

We reached out to the NDA for comment, as it was the only dental organization mentioned in the study. While the association didn't respond before publication, the NDA did offer a full response afterward. Dr. Judy Greenlea Taylor, the president of the NDA, defended her organization's acceptance of the money, writing that the funding and partnerships "provide an opportunity to communicate back to these partners' significant evidence-based findings regarding the oral health status, challenges, and proposed solutions to improving the health and well-being of our communities." You can read her entire response here.

Also this week, it's time to submit your nominations for the 2016 DrBicuspid.com Dental Excellence Awards. This is your chance to make sure the best new products receive the recognition they deserve. There are eight categories in all, including Best New Restoratives Material, Best Practice Management Consultant, Best New Operatory Product, and more. Start the process here.

Finally, in the first of a two-part series on protecting your practice from ransomware, Steve Godfrey, chief information officer for NEA, provides an overview of the threat and asks if there is truth behind the sensational headlines. Read more here.