1

Winter 2012

As we approach the end of another successful testing season, I want to highlight the efforts of the examiners and staff who gave of themselves above and beyond the normal level of sacrifice. Challenges from traveling arrangements,

schedule changes, canceled and delayed flights, and a continuum of inclement weather all seemed to affect our commitment this season. Your diligence and passion overcame these overwhelming obstacles, which only served to validate the mission of CRDTS.

Many bright stars have shined this year for CRDTS including Ms Lynn Ray, Director of Test Analysis, who has recently completed the Occupational Analysis for both Dental and Dental Hygiene. Final copies were completed and distributed to CRDTS Member State Boards. I want to commend Lynn on her impressive work, as well as the SME’s (Subject Matter Experts) who contributed to the preparation of the excellent and well-crafted documents.

Ms Kim Laudenslager, CRDTS Director of Dental Hygiene Exam-inations, continues to expand the boundaries of exam testing sites with the recent additions of Dental Hygiene Examinations at Lone Star College in Texas and Fortis Institute in Alabama. Additional inquiries have also been made by various hygiene programs throughout the country requesting administration information about the hygiene exam.

This hygiene season included a very successful and smooth transition. The hygiene exam made a platform shift to an advanced electronic scoring. Ease and efficiency seemed to infiltrate the exam process. I know Kim has been very excited about the transition and expects even more success in the future.

Another shining star for CRDTS is Ms Kimber Cobb, Director of Dental Examinations and Data Management. I am very excited to announce the development of the new Examiner Module. Ms Cobb, along with the help of Ms Jane Wise of Central Office, have been working persistently to produce this new service for CRDTS. Ms Cobb will reveal the new and exciting features and services of the Examiner Module and implementation along with additional new technology development for CRDTS at the Annual Meeting.

Other bright stars I also would like to recognize are Dr Steve Holcomb and Ms Penny Fudally Chairs of the Dental and Dental Hygiene ERC Committees, respectively. By virtue of their expertise and diligence in reviewing and refining the examinations, CRDTS remains a national leader in test development and administration of dental and dental hygiene clinical licensure examinations.

These Chairs and Com-mittees can never get enough praise and ad-miration for their work!

Recently, a meeting to discuss further collabor-ative efforts has been scheduled in Nashville with the CITA organiza-tion. I am very excited and looking forward to a productive and positive outcome. In addition, a meeting to discuss common interests has been set for July in Albuquerque with the WREB organization. Hopefully, these efforts will serve to benefit the public, candidates who take our exams and ultimately the dental professions.

The 41st CRDTS Annual Meeting is rapidly approaching. I know that Ms Elizabeth Thompson has been working diligently to coordinate a great meeting for the CRDTS organization. The highlights of the meeting will definitely be Dr John Littlefield, the keynote speaker, along with the scheduled Gangster and Boulevard Brewery Tour. This meeting promises to be an informative, educational and enjoyable experience for all who attend.

Reflecting back over the past year, many administrative and technological advancements have been realized through the direct involvement of our Executive Director, Ms Laura Jacob. The coordination of all the dynamics that comprise the function of CRDTS are facilitated “behind the scenes” by Laura. As Executive Director, Laura wears many hats. She is very efficient and masterful when faced with difficult tasks. If you see Laura during the Annual Meeting, please tell her thanks for helping CRDTS to be truly a top-notch organization!

Also, if you call the Central Office, there is a new and pleasant voice that responds. This is Emma, our newest member of the Administrative Staff. She will help you with your requests along with Renee’ and Jane. Incidentally, when you talk to these ladies, please thank them for their remarkable service to CRDTS and for the smooth and efficient manner in which they operate the Central Office.

In closing, I would like to thank the Executive Committee for providing the intellect, thoughtfulness and courage that has helped make my year as your President much easier and productive. I am very proud of the accomplishments of this great organization and definitely feel that CRDTS brightest days are still ahead. I want to extend to you a very warm welcome to the Annual Meeting and am looking forward to seeing you there!

The CRDTS ReportCentral Regional Dental Testing Service, Inc. Summer 2013

Mark G O’Farrell, DDS

President’s Message

Volume 12, Issue 1 Laura Jacob, RDH, MA Editor

CRDTS Annual Meeting p 2Feedback Surveys p 3Dental ERC Update p 3Advancing Professionalism p 4Outgoing & Incoming p 5Sexual Harassment p 6No Exam Fee Increase p 6Special Thanks p 7Technology Update p 7 Concur to Launch in August p 7CRDTS Celebrations p 8

2

CRDTS Report

Another CRDTS Annual Meeting is in the planning and August is just around the corner, so mark your calendars, make your hotel reservations and get ready for a great weekend!

Once again we are expecting over 200 CRDTS Examiners, State Board Members & Directors, Deans, Program Directors, Faculty, as well as, guests and family members. As usual, the schedule will be filled with interesting presentations,

information about CRDTS with a little fun thrown in to keep us all well-rounded individuals!

When you’re packing, please be sure to throw in your bulletproof vest! We have a fabulous guided tour planned for Friday, August 23rd. “Johnny Holiday” will be the tour guide and will take you back to the 1930’s era and tell about his Mob Boss’s who once lived and worked in Kansas City. There will be a stop at the Boulevard Brewing Co., a Kansas City favorite, founded in 1989. Their mission is simple: to produce fresh, flavorful beers using the finest traditional ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques. The tour will be approximately four and one-half hours. The cost is: $40.00 per person. The tour includes the transportation, tour guide, admissions, taxes & gratuities. Group size is limited, so send your reservations in early to guarantee a place. Registration deadline is August 1st.

On Friday afternoon you won’t want to miss the dental and dental hygiene exam changes meetings – this is always informative and will keep you all up to date on what is in the works for the 2014 testing season.

Also on Friday, will be concurrent roundtable discussions for both dental deans and faculty and dental hygiene program directors and faculty, respectively. This is always an excellent forum for gathering information and collaborative idea sharing.

The President’s Meet & Greet Reception will also be on Friday from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. and all attendees and guests are welcome to attend this no-host event.

If you are a first time attendee, we cordially invite you to attend the 1st Timers Breakfast and Orientation on Saturday morning. As a new attendee you will get pertinent information about CRDTS, our structure and other responsibilities. It is a “not to

miss” presentation if this is your first Annual Meeting, AND as a bonus you get breakfast!!

Our Keynote speaker for the Plenary Session on Saturday morning will be Dr John Littlefield. He is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Comprehensive Dentistry at the University of Texas Dental School, San Antonio, TX. For the past 38 years he has been developing, conducting and evaluating instructional programs in health professions education. His research has focused on improving written tests in dental and dental hygiene education and assessing clinical performance. He has been involved in research in numerous health care professions including medicine and nursing. Dr. Littlefield has authored numerous articles published in peer review journals, given presentations, and received many honors for his expertise. Many national and international Universities and institutions of higher learning seek him, along with numerous professional organizations. He will encourage you to think “outside the box”, self-evaluate and use your creative spirit for problem solving!

As you all know, technology changes have taken place within CRDTS testing arena over the past several years. We are excited to share a Technology Update and introduce the new Examiner Module. There will be tutorials provided and time for hands-on training.

Back by popular demand, will be the “State of the States” presentation. We will provide an up to date report on where each state stands in regard to test acceptance and possible state legislative issues expected in the near future that could affect our presence in the various states.

CRDTS Annual Business Meeting will follow the President’s Luncheon. As required by CRDTS Bylaws, this meeting is for the transaction of business and presentation of the Annual Report. CRDTS President, Dr Mark O’Farrell will preside over this meeting. All attendees are welcome.

Dental and Dental Hygiene Question and Answer Sessions will follow the conclusion of the Business Meeting. This is always a great opportunity to have our questions answered, comments heard and participate in some great interaction with fellow examiners.

The Dinner Dance for this year follows along with the “Gangster” theme of the tour. There will be music from the 30’s, 40’s & 50’s and the dance floor will be hoppin’ so throw in your fedora and your dancing shoes! Who knows, you might even spot Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra!

Join us for a great time.... see you in August!

CRDTS Annual Workshop & Meeting

August 22-24, 2013

Elizabeth Thompson, RDHVice President

3

Winter 2012

2013 has been a busy year thus far for members of the Dental ERC. After completion and review of the Occupational Analysis, content trends for dental testing were revisited and modified in order to keep the CRDTS exam on the forefront of current and future assessments for dental competency. Our newest members, Neal Benjamin, Roger Stevens and Robin Hattervig, hit the ground running with enthusiasm and fresh eyes as we scrutinize every aspect of the exam. Many thanks to Tom Cavel, Buzzy Nalley, Jeff Astroth, Dan Wilson, John Blalock and Julie Marshall for taking on special projects assigned to them and for completing them in record time in spite of their busy schedules.

The Dental ERC has recommended protocols to improve treatment selection communication between the floor examiners and the evaluation area. Those protocols were implemented as a trial and have proven to be more successful than anticipated. As an initial review of the endodontic criteria, Jeff Astroth researched current treatment trends resulting in modification of several endodontic criteria. Thanks to Drs. Wilson, Nalley, Astroth and Cavel, we were able to update the posterior composite criteria to reflect current teaching methodologies as needed for clinical testing assessments. The Periodontal Subcommittee has made several recommendations for the EEAC and the use of cross-trained examiners during perio approval and evaluation. The use of cross-trained examiners for both perio and restorative is proving to be a valuable flexibility for many exam sites as the subcommittee continues to streamline and improve that group of examiners. Thanks to Gay Derderian, Mark Edwards, Jeff Miyazawa, Deena Kuempel and the entire perio team for their guidance.

After several years of discussion, the Dental ERC has recommended a protocol for on-site review of corroborated and non-corroborated assessments where criteria may have been improperly applied as identified by the Team Captain and Chief Examiner. Although these situations are rare, we are excited about this venture into assessment as we strive to “do the right things” and arrive at a fair, true and accurate assessment of a candidate’s performance. We will monitor the efficacy of this protocol as the next exam cycle progresses and modify or revisit as necessary. The duty of examination development involves, not only content, scoring, criteria, protocols and administration but also the continuous reassessment of the entire process. It is an ever-evolving process of refinement and morphing as the testing landscape dictates. It is our responsibility to the state jurisdictions that put their trust in our clinical assessment of their applicants and the ultimate treatment delivered to their citizens.

Thanks to the superior Professional Staff support and their patience in dealing with our mountains, as well as our minutia. Thanks to the Central Office staff for our administrative support for the meetings and information needs. Once again special thanks to a very dedicated Dental ERC who work tirelessly until the last minute at every meeting and in between.

Steve Holcomb, DMDDental Examination Review

Committee Chair

FEEDBACK SURVEYS

During the examination year, at each testing site, dental hygiene examiners, candidates and patients are asked to fill out a feedback survey involving the current examination process in which they are participating. Comments from examiners, candidates, patients and faculty observers often arise asking what happens to these surveys, who are responsible for evaluating the forms, how are the results implemented into the clinical national examination process.

Once the feedback surveys arrive at CRDTS Central Office, they are copied and sent to the Dental Hygiene Examination Review Committee (DH ERC) Chair and the Director of Dental Hygiene Examinations. The feedback from all entities is tabulated and presented to the Hygiene Examination Review Committee at their annual July meeting. This feedback helps to drive assignments to committee members prior to the meeting. At the DH ERC meeting the content, criteria and scoring of the hygiene examination is evaluated and recommendations are made from the committee. The Chair of the Dental Hygiene Examination Review Committee presents the recommendations to the CRDTS Steering Committee for approval during the CRDTS August Annual meeting.

The information gathered from the feedback surveys help to initiate changes to the hygiene examination. Several of the suggestions are forwarded to the Hygiene Calibration committee for development and implementation into the examiner calibration sessions. Specific instances of utilizing feedback from the various entities include the following examples. Suggestions provided have helped to drive the implementation of standardized instruments utilized by examiners during the patient check-in and final evaluation process. The application of using three independent examiners in all aspects of the examination process has been an invaluable accomplishment. Feedback from all parts of the examination process has helped drive the examiner candidate ratio to implement a smoother flow to the examination process. Positive input involving the online orientation and registration, Candidate Manual, and the administration of the exam has been provided. Additionally, information provided indicates candidates have an easier time finding patients when the examination is held on a weekend verses during the week.

These examples are just a few of the many comments and suggestions we have received from the examiners, candidates and patients that have been implemented within the examination process. We will continue to make every effort to address feedback and place great importance on all suggestions and recommendations that are provided to the Dental Hygiene Examination Review committee.

Penny Fudally, RDH, MEdDental Hygiene

Examination Review Committee Chair

Dental Examination Review Committee Update

4

CRDTS Report

Professionalism is an important aspect of the regulatory process. When the Executive Directors of your dental boards and examining bodies seek to share information about professional standards and practices, they rely on each other. This can be done as individuals, but the organizational opportunity exists to pursue these professional contacts and support through membership in the American Association of Dental Administrators (AADA).

The AADA is comprised of the Executive Directors of Boards of Dentistry from across the country, and includes the Executive Directors of dental examining agencies and the Dental Assisting National Boards (DANB). The organization was founded in 1985 by Linda Campbell― the recently retired Executive Director of the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry― and the Executive Directors from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and California.

This group of pioneers determined that it would be beneficial for the leaders of dental boards in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands to:

• share and distribute information, procedures, policies and techniques necessary to effectively and efficiently administer dental licensing, testing and/or disciplinary boards, and

• study, review, evaluate and address various avenues for administration of board operations

The AADA also provides direct learning opportunities through its meetings twice a year, most often scheduled around the times of the American Association of Dental Boards (AADB) mid-year and annual meetings. This scheduling intentionally maximizes the opportunities for professional advancement for AADA members. In addition, the organization maintains a message board for members enabling quick responses to questions and concerns, along with a library of issues that have been addressed in recent years.

The following CRDTS Member States that also have their Executive Directors currently represented as members of the AADA include (in bold):

At this time, CRDTS has representation in the AADA leadership, with Rita Sommers (North Dakota) serving as the President, and Mo Miskell (Colorado) as the President-Elect. The

Executive Directors of each of the CRDTS Member States are invited to gather from 4-5pm on Friday, August 23 at the CRDTS Annual Meeting. A personal invitation will be forthcoming to all Executive Directors.

In some cases, Executive Directors need additional support from their Boards and the examining community to ensure that membership in a professional association is supported and funded. This involvement has a significant impact on a Board’s ability to stay connected and aware of trends, and establishes a network of strong relationships that can be relied upon to assist when there is a need.

Please consider encouraging and supporting the membership and involvement of your Board’s Executive Director in this opportunity for professional advancement.

ColoradoGeorgiaHawaiiIllinoisIowaKansas

MinnesotaMissouriNebraska

New MexicoNorth Dakota

South Carolina

South DakotaWashington

West VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

ADVANCING PROFESSIONALISM AMONG EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS THROUGH THE AADA

Marshall Shragg, MPHExecutive Director

Minnesota Board of DentistryAADA Past President 2005-06

- DON’T MISS THIS -CRDTS

Annual Workshop & Meeting

August 22-24, 20131st Timers Breakfast and Orientation

Keynote speaker Dr. John Littlefield

President’s Meet & Greet Reception

roundtable discussions

guided tour

& More

5

Winter 2012

Outgoing…A Farewell Message From Outgoing President Deena Kuempel

I would like to take this time to thank my family, colleagues and friends for making it possible

for me to serve the last 3 years through the Presidencies of this great organization called CRDTS. Without each of you, I could not have made this happen.

I have been a part of many great things in these last three years. We generated a Technical Report and produced an Occupational Analysis for both dental and dental hygiene. Wow, a big thanks to Lynn for her efforts in both of these and the wonderful Subject Material Experts (SME’s), who so willingly served on those committees.

Wishing you all a happy, restful summer and hoping to see many of you in August at the CRDTS Annual Meeting. I thought that now would be a perfect time to share my background as your incoming President.

I have had an interesting educational and experiential route to this point. I began my career in dentistry as a Certified Dental Assistant, working for seven years in that capacity; and then on to Dental Hygiene, where I earned my BS from Loyola University. I was in full time practice as an RDH while completing additional courses to return for dental school, graduating in 1984 from Loyola University Dental School.

I have a full time general dental practice in Chicago and spend a lot of time in organized dentistry. I am a past President of the American Association of Women Dentists, Illinois Chapter of the American College of Dentists, and the Chicago Dental Society Foundation. I have served as a Director to the Chicago Dental Society’s Board of Directors and currently completing my term as a Trustee to the Illinois State Dental Society. Acting

Deena Kuempel, DDSPast President

Do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons...

We continue to be in collaboration with CITA and our examiner exchange has allowed us to make many new friends, as well as, take some of what we have seen and mold it to help make our examination even better. We are hopeful that we will be able to continue to develop a meaningful relationship with these new friends. I am hopeful for even more collaboration with other groups in the future.

I was lucky to be on board with the committee who decided to offer the Executive Director position to Ms. Laura Jacob. I think that Laura will continue to grow in her new position and continue to take CRDTS in the right direction in the future. She has already implemented many new ideas in the CRDTS organization.

I will not fade quietly into the sunset. Those of you, who know me well, know it would not be a possibility. I will continue to serve this great organization in any way that I am asked, as I truly believe that we provide a great service to our Member States. I will always talk about CRDTS people, from all levels of this organization, as being a

great group who tries everyday “to do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons.”

Thanks so much for trusting me to help care for this organization over the last 3 years. I will continue to see you, only again, on the other side of the podium.

as a facilitator, during strategic planning for AAWD, the College of Diplomates of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists, and the Foundation of the College, has given me additional insight in organizational structures.

I began my service to CRDTS in 1995 as a consultant examiner and subsequently served on the CRDTS Steering Committee after my appointment to the Illinois Board of Dentistry in 2000. I served on that Board for 11 years.

I am fortunate to find myself among dedicated colleagues in the arena of dental testing. I believe that CRDTS brings a level of integrity and commitment to the process that is second to none. My goals are to bring a strong internal structure to CRDTS and to be open to conversation with all communities of interest. Thank you for the honor of serving.

Barbara L Mousel, DDSPresident–Elect

Incoming… “Thank you for the honor of serving”

President Elect, Barbara L. Mousel, DDS

6

CRDTS Report

While serving as your Secretary/Treasurer I have had the opportunity to visit the Central Office in Topeka where I saw first hand the fine job the Administrative Staff is doing to ensure the exam materials are ready and packed in the trunks. They diligently get examiner assignment letters out, while making sure the hotels are booked and everyone has made travel arrangements.

If you have traveled anywhere lately you are aware of increases in your personal expenses. CRDTS is also seeing a slight

Sexual Harassment

PolicyCRDTS takes the subject of Sexual Harassment very seriously and is committed to providing a safe environment for all employees, officers, examiners and anyone representing CRDTS. The Steering Committee revised the

CRDTS Sexual Harassment Policy at its March 2013 meeting. Phil Elwood, Legal Counsel for CRDTS, suggests the purpose of the policy is to educate and inform, as well as take a strong stand against any such provocation. The new policy will be available in the Examiner Module soon. CRDTS is asking all those mentioned above to review and acknowledge the policy by signing. A signature of acknowledgment is not required annually, only as the policy is updated. There will be plenty of guidance and opportunity to review the entire module at the Annual Meeting.

Dr F Robert Murphy has been a general dentist in Boulder for 30 years. He has just completed two terms on the Colorado Board of Dental Examiners, serving as Chair for the past 5 years. Dr Murphy continues to be an active CRDTS Examiner, as well. Dr Murphy was asked to present at the Rocky Mountain Dental Convention regarding Ethics from his experiences on the Dental Board. Almost simultaneously he was learning about an ethical dilemma, involving sexual harassment, a current employee had endured at a previous practice. He began exploring this topic and decided to conduct some research by means of surveys. He polled dentists, dental assistant, office managers and dental hygienists. His research explored several topics of ethical concern. Although Dr Murphy’s research setting was that in private practice, it is certainly within the professions of dentistry and dental hygiene and warrants attention.

Specifically, within Dr Murphy’s surveys, dental hygienists reported that 24% of them had been victims of sexual harassment within their workplace. Within the narratives included in the surveys, those that experience the sexual harassment reported it having a devastating effect on their lives. 64% of those hygienists reported that they had observed more than one incidence of sexual harassment. Although earlier research done over a decade ago showed dental hygienist sexual harassment rates as high as 50%, many hygienists remarked that it “had gotten better than in the olden days.” Dr Murphy notes that the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has shown a steady decrease in the number of sexual harassment charges over the past decade. Dr Murphy’s research also revealed that the incidences of reported sexual harassment within the workplace have finally decreased. He cites awareness as the significant factor. 47% reported that the incidences were never resolved and 43% admitted they didn’t leave the practices even in the uncomfortable circumstances, again for necessity of employment and perceived lack of choice. Of those surveyed, 78% reported that their offices did have employee manuals and that 75% of those did include policy around sexual harassment.

Laura Jacob, RDH, MA Executive Director

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defines Sexual Harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.

According to Dr. F. Robert Murphy’s survey results,

24% of Dental Hygienists have been victims...

increase in travel expenses. The consolidation of airlines and the reduction of flights into the smaller regional airports, along with fuel prices, have contributed to the increase of ticket prices. Last year CRDTS began to incur the additional fees for checked baggage. Airlines are overbooking flights to ensure the planes are full or completely canceling flights due to the reduction in the number of daily flights. The hotels have raised their rates and are charging extra fees for a variety of services including in-room Wi-Fi and access to business centers.

Despite the cost increase for travel, the Executive and Steering Committees are working diligently to keep CRDTS expenses within the proposed 2014 budget. We are cutting expenses in other areas so the exam fees for the Dental, Dental Therapist or Dental Hygiene Examinations will remain the same as they were for 2013.

Jane Lott, RDH, BS Secretary/ Treasurer

No Increase in 2014 Examination Fees

7

Winter 2012

As we finish the crux of your second year with this new change, CRDTS would like to extend a special thanks to both Hu-Friedy and Crosstex for helping us make this huge improvement to our exam process possible. Ms Erika Eatherton with Hu-Friedy and Ms Leann Keefer with Crosstex have been an invaluable resource for us. From all CRDTS hygiene examiners and candidates, THANK YOU!

Special Thanks to Hu-Friedy and Crosstex

Last year CRDTS became the first testing agency to supply standardized instruments (mirror, probe and explorer) to all hygiene candidates. This standardization of instruments has contributed to enhanced examiner calibration and ensures complete candidate anonymity.

Each instrument kit is bagged, sterilized and stored in a small blue plastic container that is used for transporting instruments to and from the examiners’ station. These instrument kits are shipped to each testing site prior to the examination and are distributed and used by examiners at each exam. At the conclusion of the exam, candidates keep these instruments along with the container.

Kim Laudenslager, RDH, MPADirector of Dental

Hygiene Examinationsd

Technology Update

The 2013 CRDTS exam season brought many changes and we’re looking ahead to more throughout the remainder of the year. The implementation of the Audience Response System for our calibration materials was a huge success! It brought dynamic engagement and discussion to this vital process, as well as provided feedback to Examiners and Team Captains regarding the level of agreement for topic and criteria. Additionally, the platform shift to tablets for the CRDTS Dental Hygiene Examination was a tremendous and successful endeavor. The use of this hardware greatly streamlined the evaluation process and provided examiners with enhanced views/functionality during the candidate evaluations. Finally, the Examiner Module is progressing very well and we’re excited about the convenience and accessibility these digital updates will provide our examiners in managing assignments, feedback, travel and information. Look for communication this summer regarding initial online access and additional information at CRDTS Annual Meeting in August about the various aspects of this essential addition to our electronic management. Have a great summer!

CRDTS Annual Workshop & MeetingAugust 22-24, 2013 • Kansas City

Concur to Launch in

AugustAs many of you already know, Anne has recently retired and is enjoying more time in the sun. I have been promoted to agency manager and will continue helping you with your travel arrangements.

CRDTS and Travel Leaders have collaborated to bring you a new lower cost option for booking travel, called Concur. Concur is CRDTS own online booking engine that we are expecting to implement at this in August. You will each have your own password and profile, to include all of your pertinent travel information, so that you can book travel quickly and efficiently. These bookings will then come directly to Travel Leaders to be issued and we will continue to provide support for any cancellations, changes, delays or any of the wonderful problems that can occur while travelling.

There are several benefits to using Concur; one benefit is the availability of your own Travel Library, which lists all of your booked travel in order of departure. You will also find that all airlines (included Southwest) will be available for you to compare schedules and prices in one place. And lastly, CRDTS will set parameters so that you will automatically know if the flights that you have selected are instantly approved, in need of approval or on hold.

We look forward to implementing this amazing product and to seeing you at this year’s Annual Meeting.

Kimber Cobb, RDH, BSDirector of Dental

Examinations and Data Management

Dave Bonnel, Agency Manager

Travel Leaders, Lawrence KS

CRDTS1725 SW Gage BlvdTopeka, KS 66604

CRDTS Report

AADBCongratulationsto CRDTS Examiner Mark Hinrichs, DDS of Nebraska as he serves as President of the American Association of Dental Boards. We also welcome Jim Tarrant, new Executive Director for the AADB.

Welcome Emma!Emma Rupke is the new CRDTS Hotel Coordinator at the Central Office in Topeka. Emma joined Renee’ and Jane in February and we quickly realized we had made a terrific decision. Emma is very detail-oriented, organized and feels both enthusiastic and energetic about the variety of tasks required. Emma was raised in Prairie View, Kansas that currently boasts a population of 120 and includes one stop sign. She began her education with an Associate Degree in Science at Butler Community College in El Dorado, KS. Emma received a full-ride scholarship from the Butler Band where she played the flute in both the Pep and Concert bands. Emma then transferred to

Washburn University in Topeka where she earned a Business Degree in Marketing and Management last May. Emma’s hobbies include spending time with her friends, watching movies, bowling and watching sports, particularly football. Emma is a long-time Denver Bronco fan! She has just purchased her first home only blocks from the Central Office. Emma honed great customer service skills from her previous employment at Sam’s Club. Emma is a people-person and particularly enjoys answering the phone calls from all over the United States. She has just observed her first Dental Hygiene Exam and remarked at how important every item included in the trunks is and how fascinating the examination process is in general. She has a greater respect for CRDTS as an agency, as well as the profession! Welcome to the CRDTS Family Emma!

Emma RupkeCRDTS Hotel Coordinator

Mark Hinrichs, DDS President of the American

Association of Dental Boards