Dear Fellow SAID Members,

Attention: The Final 2010 SAID program is now posted on the website! It is now 6 months away from the annual SAID meeting and although there are still many things to do to get ready for the meeting, the most important thing to do is to plan to attend! The final touches include meeting the requirements for obtaining CE including getting the speakers biographies, obtaining an outline and handouts, confirming sponsors, and negotation for next years site. It seems that this year will offer a wide array of topics for everyone, with a focus on managing older patients with special needs and providing clinical dental care. I hope you will see something that will make you want to put this on your calendar and be a "must attend" meeting for this year.

As an orginization, we are trying to get a solid count of who our members are. In last years board sessions, the members attending agreed to pay a nominal dues amount to keep th orgainzation going and get a firm number of who our members are. The membership dues for 2010 will be: $50 for dentists and $25 for all other catagories (hygienists, assistants, corporate member, ect.). For those who have not paid dues in the past, this will come as a bit of a shock, but the good news is that this amount will be deducted from the registration fee from the meeting. The annual membership fee is good from January 1 through December 31. In the future years mailings and announcments will only be sent to members who have paid their dues and in addition will try to place a members-only sectioin onto the website. Look for signing up for membership in the comming mailing.

Now that the name of SAID stands for "Special Care Advocates In Dinestry", the executive committee and leadership of SAID feel the current LOGO (of the Southern States) is no longer applicable. This message announces the start of a new LOGO contest among the members of SAID in search of a new LOGO for the group. Two stipulations are the letters of SAID in a similar font (any size) must be on the LOGO as well as the tagline "Special Care Advocates in Dentistry". Submission should be addressed to Ms. Carolyn Fetter at www.SCCcarolyn@comquest.net by October 1, 2010. The winner will recieve a free registration to the SAID meeting, plus all the acknowledgement and good feelings that come with being a winner.

The meeting in 2011 has been set for Louisville, Kentucky. I have met with the meeting coordinator in Louisville, and she is willing to give SAID a really great deal on rooms and accommodations. The Louisville setting will also begin nighttime racing at Churchill Downs beginning with the 2010 season, and for those never attending the Kentucky Derby, this would be a good opportunity.

With the passing of our friend, colleague and former President of SAID, Dr. Carlton Horbelt, members have continued to ask, "What can we do to remember him and honor his family?". SAID has joined with Dr. Horbelt's other dental organizations ADADMD and the SCDA groups to begin a scholarship in Dr. Horbelt's name. Money raised will be distributed annually to a deserving student, (either dental student, dental assisting student, or dental hygiene student), who is planning on going into practice to work on patients who have special needs. There will be Texas pins distributed at the October 2010 meeting with a place to donate money in Carlton's memory. If you have other news, please pass it along on the SAID forum. My best to all! Looking forward to seeing all of you at the annual meeting in Charlotte.


Dr. Bob Henry