Executive Director's Message by Nissa Newton

This is our second E-Newsletter. You can help us spread the word about our events and activities by sharing the newsletter with others in your dental community. All of our February classes have a hybrid option, so it is accessible to anyone. For our online options, we have a special discounted price of $75 for Oregon Dental Association members. Online options for staff is only $40. For those that can make it to the class in person, I would encourage attending as it is easier to interact and you get to spend time with other dental professionals.

February is a busy month for CCDS as we focus on required licensure courses and host our business meeting during lunch on February 20th. Our required courses this year are Infection Control and Cultural Competency (working with interpreters) with Mary Soots. This year we are going to be giving out our Dental Service Award and Public Service Award. We will be announcing the recipients soon.

We have another class in Corvallis the evening before, featuring two one-hour topics on waterlines and workplace conflicts. Kelli Ngariki will be giving this class in addition to infection control on Friday. You can always find out more about our events at www.bit.ly/CCDSEVENTS

Protect Your Practice

Disaster Recovery Planning in Dental Practices: A Proactive Approach

by Julie Goldberg, DDS, Professional Dental Risk Specialist at PM Dental Protect

In today’s dental environment, practices depend heavily on uninterrupted operations. While clinical care often receives the most attention, the systems that support it are just as critical. Disasters—whether natural, technological, or otherwise—can abruptly halt operations, compromise patient care, and threaten business viability. Disaster recovery planning (DRP) focuses on preparing in advance to restore operations quickly and safely, as opposed to reacting to an event.

URGENT HIPAA Update - Required by February 16, 2026

Info provided by Healthcare Compliance Associates

Big changes are coming to HIPAA — and every healthcare practice must be compliant by February 16, 2026.

These updates affect how you handle patient privacy, data sharing, and yourNotice of Privacy Practices. Failing to comply could mean fines, audits, or worse.

Fear not — we’ve got you covered!

Watch our quick 5-minute video that breaks it all down, so you can stay compliant without the confusion.

Watch Here:

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices Has Changed: What DentalPractices Must Do Now

CCDS AWARDS At this year’s annual business meeting luncheon, we are also doing awards. The Dental Service Award recognizes a dentist who demonstrates voluntary service and exemplifies excellence in their dental profession. The Public Service Award recognizes a dental staff member who demonstrates extraordinary service both in the dental profession and within their community. Nominate a dentist, staff member, or coworker here: Nominations have been made and recipients will be announced soon!

Oregon Dental Association Benefits

American Dental Association Benefits

CCDS February Member Spotlight

Kent Burnett, DDS: Serving Organized Dentistry and Providing Family-Friendly Care in Corvallis

Dr. Burnett is currently a member of the Coastal Cascades Dentist Society council and was integral to the merger of the membership of the Southern Willamette and Lane County Dental Societies. He also serves on the Oregon Dental Association Board of Trustees. He serves on these boards to express his gratitude for the opportunity to become a dentist and to say thank you. Why did he decide to become a dentist in the first place? A friend suggested that he should become a dentist. At first, he resisted the idea, but he liked the idea of working with his hands and making a decent living. Most of all, the pursuit of dentistry was a challenging goal for him to achieve.

New ADA recommendations confirm dental imaging most effectively used in moderation

by Mary Beth Versaci, published on adanews.ada.org

New recommendations from the American Dental Association confirm that dental imaging should only be ordered when clinically necessary to minimize both patients' and dental professionals' exposure to radiation.

Read Article Here

Dental Practice Deal of the Year in NE Portland, OR (ORD190) Immediate opportunity with seller willing to work back 1-2 days per week. Currently working 3 days per week and 2 Saturdays per month. Location near St. Vincent Providence Hospital, I-84 and I-205. Approximate average annual EBITDA is over $220,000, about 40% of collections. In-network with some PPOs and 65% is OHP. $562,000 average collections last 3 years. 6 ops, 5 equipped. $230,000 asking price. Contact Megan Urban at 503-830-5765 or megan@omni-pg.com for more information. Lic.#201221407 (Omni Practice ID: ORD190)

Ideal South Salem, OR Practice and Building for Sale (ORD188) Desirable South Salem neighborhood. Updated space and equipment, 7 ops, 2 front-office areas, 26 on-site parking spaces. Strong hygiene department producing 29% of office total. Great personal/work experience as dentist works 28 hours per week and about 177 work days per year. CBCT, CEREC, Dentrix. Excellent opportunity to step into a popular, quality practice treating families for decades. Contact Megan Urban at 503-830-5765 or megan@omni-pg.com for more information. Lic.#201221407 (Omni Listing ID: ORD188)

Profitable Dental Practice and Building for Sale in The Gorge, Oregon (ORD187) Tremendous opportunity to step into a successful and profitable hygiene-driven practice. Growth potential as most OS, endo, removable and surgical implants are currently referred out. 4 ops and room for more. Collections over $1.0M. Live and work in the beautiful Columbia Gorge area. Practice includes updated office building with four ops and plenty of room to add more. Building includes plenty of parking. Contact Megan Urban at 503-830-5765 or megan@omni-pg.com for more information. Lic.#201221407 (Omni Practice ID: ORD187)

Associate Dentist Position in Lincoln City, OR (ORD185) Great opportunity for part-time associate, starting 2-3 days per week. Current dentists are producing $8,000 to $10,000 per day. Averaging 38 new patients per month. Contact Megan Urban at 503-830-5765 or megan@omni-pg.com for more information. Lic.#201221407 (Omni Listing ID: ORD185)

Caring Hands International will have the Benton County free dental clinic on Sunday, April 12th, and needs dental hygienists, dentists, and dental assistants. It will be at the Benton County Fairgrounds Auditorium from 8:30 am to 4 pm. Interested professionals can sign up at https://form.jotform.com/242850492820154.

Volunteer Opportunity: Dental Professionals Needed!

The University of Oregon Pre-Dental Club is partnering with the Med Advance Suturing Station to offer a dental-specific suturing session for students. What is Med Advance? Med Advance is the University of Oregon’s annual pre-health conference, designed to give students hands-on exposure to careers in healthcare through interactive stations and workshops. We are seeking a dentist to lead this station. All materials will be provided; your expertise is all that’s needed!

Who can help: Dentists (or dental specialists)

What you’ll do: Guide students through dental suturing techniques in a hands-on session

When: February 28th, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Where: University of Oregon

We would love a dentist to help demonstrate proper technique and guide students through the hands-on portion. Your involvement would be a meaningful experience for our pre-dental students!

If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact Erika Holder at dental@uoregon.edu.

More Information About Med Advance Event

A GREAT NEW BENEFIT FOR CCDS MEMBERS from PM Dental Protect

Getting Started with ProLearn: Access Your Complimentary Education

Welcome to ProLearn—where we Protect, Empower, and Educate healthcare professionals. Our complimentary content is designed to support your professional growth while helping you navigate today’s evolving clinical, ethical, and risk management challenges. Accessing your education is simple and seamless. Follow the instructions below to create your account, log in, and begin learning—on your time, at no cost. ProLearn delivers trusted education that protects your practice, empowers your decisions, and supports your professional success.

1. Create an account at: https://pmpro.cehouselms.com/new-user

2. Enter information to create an account.

3. On left navigation pane, navigate to Dental Courses. Select course content and Click Enroll. Courses you

have enrolled in will now show in "My Courses."

4. In "My Courses", click on course to be completed.

5. Read course instructions and then click on the "Course Materials" tab.

6. For course content, complete Exam and Evaluation to obtain Certificate of Completion. For article content,

no exam or evaluation is required. No certificate will be offered for review of the article content.

7. To view course certificates, navigate to "My Courses", to "Completed", and "View" certificates. Certificates

can be downloaded and printed or saved to your device.

Questions? Contact Dr. Julie Goldberg at julie.goldberg@pmuw.com for assistance.

Coastal Cascades Dentist Society

Executive Council 2025-2026

President: Mercedes Del Valle, DDS

Secretary: Ivan Paskalev, DMD

Treasurer: Travis Alcorn, DDS

Past President: Matthew Bahen, DMD

Directors at Large:

Mariya Costa, DMD

Kent Burnett, DDS

Executive Director: Nissa Newton

The Coastal Cascades Dentist Society is the professional organization for dentists in Lane, Benton, Linn, and Lincoln Counties in Oregon. CCDS invites interested dentists to become members of this dynamic organization. We are an active and welcoming chapter committed to the highest standards of practice; providing continuing education and networking opportunities and promoting community service.