MAKE SURE YOUR DENTIST IS AN ADA MEMBER!: ADA Members Adhere to Strict Code of Ethics and Conduct. You should make sure you are SEEING AN ADA MEMBER DENTIST! Visit ADA Find-A-Dentist to Find One Near YOU
Ninth District Headquarters Office - Hawthorne, NY

2026 Ninth District President

Dr. Bharat Joshi

RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY!

3 EASY WAYS TO PAY 1 ONLINE: nysdental.org/renew 2 MAIL: Return dues stub and payment 3 PHONE: 1-800-255-2100

NYSDAPAC

NYSDA’s fully owned and operated Political Action Committee. With your support, NYSDAPAC will strengthen our political influence and ensure your voice is heard statewide and beyond.

2026-2027 Member Benefits Guide Now Available

Take a look at the benefits, resources, savings, and opportunities included with your NYSDA membership. Plus, get a quick overview with our convenient At-A-Glance one-pager. Discover everything your membership has to offer!

Member Assistance Program (MAP)

Life comes with challenges—but your FREE, confidential Member Assistance Program (MAP) is here to help. Available to you, your household, and your staff, MAP offers one-on-one short-term counseling plus resources for mental health, stress management, financial wellness, and life coaching. Download the app today to get started.

Welcome to the Ninth District Dental Association

The Ninth District Dental Society was formed in 1909 and renamed to the Ninth District Dental Association in 2002. We have a membership of over 1200 dentists in 5 counties: Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, Orange and Putnam.

In its quest to serve both the public and the profession, the Ninth District embodies the highest ideals.

The mission of the 9th District Dental Association is to serve and support its members and the public by improving the oral health of our community through Advocacy, Continuing Education and Camaraderie.


The 9th Board approved creating a High School Career Day video to promote the dental field as a whole! Here's the link: 

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Kk10wFBk5MXT4CeitvzzCSXKPrVFzz73/view?usp=drive_link

 

Please share it with any Principal or Guidance Counselor you may have a relationship with!


Come join your colleagues!

 

New Dentist Reception

Wednesday, October 21, 2026
6:30 - 9:00 pm

Captain Lawrence Brewery
444 Saw Mill River Rd
Elmsford, NY  10523
914-741-2337

To register, email:
stephan@ninthdistrict.org

We Hope to See You There!!

Bharat Joshi, D.D.S.
President

Lana Hashim, D.D.S.
President - New Dentist Committee

And don't forget to register for Dr. Amrita Patel's CE Course:

Live Webinar:  “Demystifying Dental Benefits” Tuesday, September 29, 2026 – 7-9 pm (Objective 12 Practice Management / 2 CE)

Register

 Instructor:           Amrita Patel, D.D.S.

 Synopsis:  Dental insurance touches every single patient conversation and every line of your P&L, yet most dentists, regardless of how long they've been in practice, were never actually taught how the system works. This course pulls back the curtain on dental benefits: how plans are structured, how codes get created and valued, where fee schedules come from, and where the gaps between "covered" and "paid" quietly erode practice revenue and patient trust.

 Drawing on years of first-hand experience navigating dental benefits from both the clinical and business sides, this session goes beyond the front-desk basics. New dentists will walk away finally understanding a system that clinical training never covered. Seasoned owners and multi-practice leaders will leave with sharper language for fee negotiations, a clearer read on where their practice is leaving money on the table, and concrete strategies for protecting fee integrity as insurance pressures intensify. Whether you're building your first associate contract or running a multi-site group, this is the insurance education dental school skipped: built for every stage of the career, not just the start of it.

 

FDA Issues Regulatory Update

Sep 14, 2026

September 14, 2026

Dear Colleague,

The FDA works to safeguard the public against potential health risks, ensures the safety and efficacy of medical products, and the safety of our nation’s food supply and cosmetics.  Your partnership, knowledge, and engagement in the public health space are appreciated.

Sincerely,

The Public Engagement Staff
Public Engagement Staff | FDA

MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program

The FDA’s medical product safety reporting program for health professionals, patients, and consumers, MedWatch, receives reports from the public and when appropriate, publishes safety alerts for FDA-regulated products.  The most recent alerts/recalls are here:

Updates

Spotlight

FDA Roundtable: Strengthening the Supply Chain for Blood Manufacturing

Consumer Updates

Braces Have Changed: What to Know about Traditional Braces and Clear Aligner Options

Braces have come a long way, and there are now more options than ever in both style and materials.  Braces, clear dental aligners, and other orthodontic devices are medical devices, which means the FDA regulates them.  Before companies can market these products in the United States, companies must meet the applicable legal requirements for safety and effectiveness.  The FDA also keeps an eye on these devices after they hit the market to make sure they continue to meet the appropriate standards.

Should You Put Sunscreen on Infants?  Not Usually

When you go outdoors with your infant, whether for a quick stroll in the park or a day at the beach, it’s important to keep your little one out of the sun.  But should you put sunscreen on your baby to protect them from the sun’s bright rays?  Not usually.  Your infant’s sensitive skin is vulnerable to serious burns.  But sunscreen isn’t the answer, according to the FDA.  That’s because infants are at greater risk than adults of sunscreen side effects, such as a rash.

Tips to Stay Safe in the Sun: From Sunscreen to Sunglasses

Sun safety is always in season.  It’s important to protect your skin from sun damage throughout the year, no matter what the weather.  Exposing your skin to the sun year-round means you are exposing it to ultraviolet radiation, which can cause sunburn, early skin aging (such as skin spots, wrinkles, or “leathery skin”), eye damage, and skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the U.S.  Sunscreen is one of several ways to help reduce the risk of skin cancer.

Guidance Documents

You can search for documents using key words, and you can narrow or filter your results by product, date issued, FDA organizational unit, type of document, subject, draft or final status, and comment period.

Webinars and Workshops

2026 PDA/FDA Joint Regulatory Conference

Day 1: Monday, Sept. 14, 2026; 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET
Day 2: Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026; 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET
Day 3: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026; 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. ET

FDA and Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) will host the 2026 PDA/FDA Joint Regulatory Conference, Excellence in CGMP: Ensuring Quality, Protecting Patients, in Washington, D.C.  The conference will offer practical insights on current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) compliance, quality systems, risk-based manufacturing, supply chain oversight, and industrial modernization through expert-led discussions and real-world case studies.  The conference will explore regulatory priorities, emerging technologies, and quality challenges through expert-led discussions, case studies, and direct engagement with regulators and industry leaders.

Considerations for Potential Future Therapeutic Use of Psychedelic Drugs Public Hearing

Date: Monday, Sept. 14, 2026; 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. ET

The FDA is announcing a public hearing, held in collaboration with federal partners, to obtain feedback and perspectives on issues associated with the potential future therapeutic use of drug products containing a psychedelic drug substance in supervised and supportive settings.

Public Meeting on the Recommendations for Reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA)

Date: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026; 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. ET

The FDA is announcing a public meeting to discuss proposed recommendations for the reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) for fiscal years (FYs) 2028 through 2032.

Pediatric Advisory Committee Meeting Announcement

Date: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. ET

The PAC will have the opportunity to ask the Agency clarifying questions and to convey their recommendations for safety monitoring of the products listed below.  The scope of the discussion will be limited to post-marketing safety and surveillance activities.

Collaborating on Food Safety Culture: Food Safety Culture: So What?  Moving Beyond Compliance to Impact

Date: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026; noon ET (Webinar 8)

The webinar series engages experts from the public and private sectors in a collaborative exchange of ideas and experiences related to the importance of a robust food safety culture in helping to ensure safe food production.  The series will have valuable information for both those well-versed on, and those just learning about, food safety culture.

Public Meeting on the Reauthorization of Generic Drug User Fee Amendments (GDUFA)

Date: Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026; 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. ET

FDA is announcing a public meeting to discuss proposed recommendations for the reauthorization of the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments for fiscal years 2028 through 2032.

FDA Public Meeting: Testosterone Use In Menopausal Women

Date: Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026; 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. ET

The purpose of the workshop is to examine the current scientific evidence and critical knowledge gaps related to testosterone use in menopausal women to help inform future research and potential drug development in this area.

Public meetings involving the FDA: Upcoming events, past meetings, meeting materials, and transcripts

ICYMI!

The FDA announces the Advancing Real-World Evidence (RWE) Program submission deadline as Sept. 30, 2026.

About Us

The Public Engagement Staff resides within the Office of the Commissioner and falls under the Office of External Affairs.  We aim to build stronger relationships with health professional organizations, patients and patient advocacy organizations, consumer groups, trade associations, think tanks and academia, and other interested parties, in order to better inform our policy making process, identify policy hurdles or misconceptions, and create strategic collaborations.  For more information, please contact us at: PublicEngagement@fda.hhs.gov.  For patient specific inquiries, please contact us at: Patients Ask FDA.

 

Latest News Around the Ninth


Around the Ninth District