New York dental bill raises new questions

Legislation signed by New York Gov. David Paterson earlier this month giving the New York State Dental Association (NYSDA) jurisdiction over the New York County Dental Society (NYCDS) -- and, theoretically, the very lucrative Greater New York Dental Meeting -- has put the state Legislature and its decision-making process in the spotlight, according to editorials in the New York Times and other New York newspapers.

Last month, the New York Legislature passed a bill giving the NYSDA the power to expel the NYCDS. The society is a co-sponsor of the annual Greater New York Dental Meeting, which bills itself as the largest dental meeting in the world. Expelling the society would also expel it -- and potentially its 2,500 members -- from the national ADA. The society had hoped that Gov. Paterson would veto the bill, but instead the governor gave it his stamp of approval.

That's where the story gets even more interesting. According to the New York Times, since January, the Empire Dental Political Action Committee (part of the NYSDA) has given almost $350,000 to New York's political establishment. What is more surprising, according to the Times, is that on July 8 -- the day after Gov. Paterson signed the bill -- the NYSDA donated $25,000 to the Paterson for Governor campaign fund.

On July 10, the NYCDS posted a message on its Web site that reads in part, "Last night the New York State Dental Association's Board of Governors narrowly voted to charter a new association competing with our 140 year old New York County Dental Society. While we may not agree with this decision, we are grateful for the leadership of NYSDA President Steven Gold."

What all of this means in terms of the future of the NYSDA, NYCDS, and the Greater New York Dental Meeting, however, is still unclear. E-mails to the NYSDA asking for comment were not returned. Ellen Gerber, executive director of the NYCDS, told DrBicuspid.com in an e-mail that the society is declining all interviews at this time.