Facing Delta's refusal to hold its annual membership meeting, a group of Delta member dentists has developed new Delta bylaw amendments and started a petition to require Delta to hold a special meeting this fall. Learn more and sign the petition today.
Your Association leadership continues to actively advocate for important changes at Delta Dental (doing business in Washington as Washington Dental Service) to make that organization more patient-focused, transparent and responsive to its dentist members. We need your help in this next phase of action; please continue reading to learn how you can help.
We have learned that, for the second year in a row, Delta is refusing to hold an annual membership meeting, despite that decision violating its own bylaws as well as state law. By refusing to hold an annual meeting for two consecutive years, the Delta Board of Directors is obstructing member dentist input into the selection of member dentist representatives on the Board. We can no longer stand by and let Delta erode our governance rights. Now is the time to demand that our voice be heard on the Delta Dental Board of Directors.
A group of Delta member dentists has developed new Delta bylaw amendments to enhance member input into the direction of Delta's governance. These amendments are more focused than the broad slate of changes adopted with over 90 percent member support last fall. We believe focusing on changing how elections of member dentists are conducted will start to make the organization more patient-focused and responsive to its members from the very top.
This new round of bylaw amendments (attached here) would:
- allow for open nominations for members to run for the board;
- impose term limits on board service for member dentists at Delta;
- make the Delta CEO an ex-officio rather than full member of the board; and
- eliminate board veto powers over member-approved bylaw amendments.
In addition, we are proposing a resolution (attached here) that the Members of WDS will proceed as if any and all nominations and elections of Member Directors by the Board of Directors and without the participation of the Members is null, void, and without effect.
With no annual meeting at which to discuss and vote on these amendments, Delta members will be forced again to go through the process of petitioning for a special meeting at which to present and adopt them. Please help us and sign the petition to call for a special meeting to vote on these bylaw amendments. We need over 450 WDS member dentists to sign the petition so that a special meeting can be held some time this fall.
We ask all Delta member dentists to sign and return this petition by following these simple directions:
- Click here to open the petition.
- Print the petition.
- Fill out the petition with your name, license number, and signature.
- Take a picture or scan the signed petition and email it to petition@wsda.org. You may also fax it to (206) 443-9266 or mail it to the WSDA at 126 NW Canal St. #300, Seattle, WA 98107.
View the Petition
We fully expect Delta to continue its strategy of trying to intimidate members into rejecting the proposed amendments with "antitrust" rhetoric. Delta insists on using fear tactics that lack legal foundation when confronted with legitimate concerns and solutions. We recognize that the Delta board of directors could again move to veto amendments adopted through this process.
We want to be very clear: This year, we have no intention of sitting through another round of vetoes by the board. We will pursue actions necessary to ensure that members' governance rights are enforced.
We realize that exercising your governance rights with Delta can be extremely frustrating. Our sincere desire is to engage in a more collaborative and productive dialogue with its corporate leadership to affect the changes required within Delta. But their past and current behavior—as witnessed by misleading statements regarding the impact of our proposed changes, their veto of overwhelmingly approved bylaw amendments, and their apparent disregard for the requirements of their corporate organizing documents and state statues alike—clearly demonstrates a lack of interest in this level of transparency and member engagement. On behalf of our patients, we will continue to systematically pursue changes that will improve Delta’s governance for the better.
We appreciate your support of these efforts so far. We hope you will join us in continuing to advocate for your patients by signing this new petition.
Sincerely,
Dr. Marissa N. Bender
Dr. Dennis L. Bradshaw
Dr. Christopher Delecki
Dr. Chris Dorow
Dr. Linda J. Edgar
Dr. John Gibbons
Dr. Todd R. Irwin
Dr. Christine L. Kirchner
Dr. Eric J. Kvinsland
Dr. Bernard J. Larson
Dr. Blake McKinley
Dr. Randall H. Ogata
Dr. Cynthia R. Pauley
Dr. Nathan G. Russell
Dr. Ashley L. Ulmer