1. Monica Anderson, DDS — Austin, Texas President’s
It’s 5:30 AM, and Dr Moe prepares for another day at the office. She runs down her To
Do list: review authorizations and claims, make calls to providers across the state, work Prose
on a presentation for the next stakeholders meeting, write an article for the newsletter. At
TDA Member lunch, she eats at her desk and squeezes in a call with her grandson who wants her support
Spotlight for ice cream for breakfast. She wraps up the afternoon, reviewing an expedited appeal
and answering policy questions. Finally, she heads home at 6:00 PM to rest. And write. Michael L. Stuart, DDS, TDA President
As I write this article, I have just returned from Austin where we had an
D
r Monica Anderson of Austin is the lead dental director for DentaQuest incredibly successful TDA Legislative Day!
(Texas), which administers the state’s Medicaid dental program. A busy
career woman with an even busier social and event calendar, Dr Moe, as It was our best attendance ever with approximately 300 members, executives,
she’s affectionately known, is currently writing her sixth book. and guests who took time out of their busy lives to learn about TDA’s
legislative agenda and lobby for our profession. The TDA Council on
Dr Moe, a native Texan, received her undergraduate degree from Baylor University
Legislative & Regulatory Affairs, chaired by Dr Rick Black of El Paso, and
and her dental degree at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 1988. She has 2
TDA staff do an incredible job of organizing the day.
grown sons, Tony and Adrian, and 2 grandsons, 4-year-old Anthony and 9-month-
old Apollo. TDA members took the capitol by storm, visiting more than 90 legislators
She published her first book in 1994 and hasn’t stopped writing since. Dr Moe to voice the TDA’s goals for the 83rd Legislature. Thank you, members! Your
was a weekly columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram from 1996 to 2004, while efforts provide legislators with important information as they consider our
practicing dentistry full-time. Her second book is a collection of those articles about bills this session. But, we are not done. After all, “arriving at one goal is the
family life and relationships. She tackled nonfiction with her next 2 books and wrote starting point to another.” Please continue to be part of the Association’s
novels that landed on bestseller lists. She published her fifth book, another novel set grassroots efforts.
in her adopted hometown of Austin, in 2011.
I want to give a special thank you to members of the Alliance of the TDA,
She is a seasoned writer, a left-brained scientist and a right-brained artist, and says who packed hundreds of gift bags and delivered them to each senator’s and
Monica Anderson, DDS, is the lead dental the titles to her books come later. “If you’ve been writing a lot, you start first with representative’s office. Their president, Ms Diane Bogan, along with Ms Janet
director for DentaQuest (Texas). The 50-year- the outline. Everything I write engages the senses, which I hope creates a memorable Crow, helped coordinate this very important effort. Ladies, we could not do
old mother of 2 and grandmother of 2 is
currently undergoing treatment for stage experience for the reader.” it without you!
III cancer, but that does not stop her busy
work and social schedules. Dr Moe, as she is
A dentist, an author, a mother. As if she has any free time to fit more into her Time will tell if we are able to achieve our legislative goals, but our members
affectionately known, is a also motivational schedule, Dr Moe is also a motivational speaker, delivering humorous but content- came through with an unbelievable effort for Legislative Day, 2013. You have
speaker and author. driven speeches to corporations, universities, civic groups, and educators. However, my thanks and admiration!
her energy and her motivation that have touched so many people were put to the
ultimate test a year ago.
EDitorial:
Thoughts from Your ED
Aaron Washburn, TDA Executive Director
The first day at a new job is always unnerving. You want to wear the right
attire, make the right impressions, and learn as much as you can about the
organization and your duties as quickly as possible.
Dr Monica (Dr Moe) Anderson delivers a keynote speech. Dr Moe Dr Monica Anderson lives life to the fullest as she skydives over Denton, My first day at TDA was certainly filled with jitters. But, it also happened to
is currently the lead dental director for DentaQuest (Texas). Prior Texas, in 2000. She says it was a bucket list adventure, which it sure was! be the day of the Budget Committee meeting.
to this position, she was the dental director at TMF Health Quality “The first parachute didn’t open,” she recalls. “Thank God for back up.”
Institution, a dentist at St. David’s Community Health Foundation, and I was quickly immersed in numbers: 2012 projected income and expenses,
was in private practice. Dr Moe is also the president and founder of historical spending, approved 2013 budget, proposed 2014 budget, etc.
Austin’s Black Newcomers Association.
Over the course of that day the committee examined departments, programs
and line items to get a better understanding of the value of each line, propose
In February 2012, Dr Moe admitted herself to the emergency room for something she thought was very minor … benign,
cuts, adjust for inflation and make it all work to meet the goals of TDA.
really. She thought she had food poisoning. Turns out, she had a very rare gastrointestinal stromal tumor that had metastasized
to her liver. It was a stage III diagnosis. It was great to see such a strong group so dedicated to the work before them
“The diagnosis is devastating. It knocks you out in a way (Mike) Tyson could never do,” she says. “But cancer does not mean (if only Washington could work this well).
death. I have cancer. It doesn’t have me. I’ve survived to today! And I am not giving up.”
At the last Board of Directors meeting, the whole board examined the work
This optimistic attitude is what keeps Dr Moe going. “I had to really make sure that I believed what I was saying all these years,” done by this committee at that meeting, and other meetings, and approved
she recalls. “I had been working all of 1 week (at DentaQuest). I was sure I’d be fired! But, they didn’t bat an eye and gave me a final budget to the forward to the House. That budget projects spending
extra support.” of more than $300,000 LESS than 2013, supports the programs important
to TDA’s success, and helps build an even better value for your TDA
Add to her ever-growing list of titles: cancer survivor. As for the title of her sixth book, it is yet to be determined and recounts
membership.
life lessons learned from mothers, grandmothers, and other influential women. It’s funny, yet poignant, she says, and currently
a work in progress. Fitting as she starts another new chapter in her life. Their work will be printed for all members to review in the next Texas Dental
Journal. As you review it, I am confident you will see how it supports the
This recurring section highlights the lives of TDA members outside of the office. If you have an interesting story about yourself, if you are working
on a project that your peers might find interesting, or if you have a hobby that keeps you busy, please contact TDA Managing Editor Nicole Scott, goals and mission of TDA and its members. And I hope it supports your
nicole@tda.org, 512-443-3675. vision for TDA as well.
Evidence-Based
Practice
Tip of the Month
Stephen R. Matteson, DDS, FICD, TDA Editor
Trip Database Update
The Trip Database is a collection of medical and dental reviews of the
literature offering an easy method to search for information of interest.
Google “Trip Database” and select Advanced search at the top right of the
page. Select your Clinical area, I did “dentistry” and under Your Profession
“Dentist.” Under Automated search: enter search terms of interest and they
will send you new reviews monthly. Select Save changes at the bottom of the
page and scroll down the list of choices to read.
I saw several items of interest such as:
“Metal-Ceramic versus All-ceramic Dental Crowns: A Review of the Clinical
and Cost-Effectiveness”
“Visual examination still the best way of detecting early carious lesions”
“Review suggests that incomplete caries removal advantageous, particularly
in deep cavities”
“Guideline Summary: Guideline on pulp therapy for primary and immature
permanent teeth.”
Give it a try. This is an easy and convenient way to keep up-to-date on
subjects of your interest. And it is FREE.
March 2013 / TDA Today / 3