A Vote Against WDS' Handpicked Candidates

I wanted to take a moment to share why I will be voting against WDS’ handpicked slate of candidates on Friday at the WDS/Delta Annual Meeting. Hundreds of my fellow WDS member dentists have entrusted me to be their proxy. It’s not too late to assign your proxy to me, though the deadline is Friday at 11 AM (please email or fax your proxy to ensure we get it for Friday). Learn how to assign me as your proxy by clicking below.

How to Assign Your Proxy
Download Replacement Proxy
Delta’s CEO has made clear that the organization will ignore our call to follow the member-approved bylaws amendment for open nominations at Friday’s annual meeting. The WDS Board of Directors’ decision to once again handpick member dentist directors is just the latest in a long history of ignoring the governance rights provided to member dentists when the organization was founded.

Since the initial proxy ballot was released, WDS has added several items to the Annual Meeting agenda that are of interest to many WDS members. In order to aid WDS members in participating in these non-election related agenda items, we are modifying our strategy but maintaining our strong opposition to WDS’ current election process.

WDS’ Bylaws specify that the election of a slate of member dentist candidates for Delta’s Board cannot occur unless a majority of a quorum (at least 10% of members in good standing present in person or by proxy) vote in favor of the candidates. Unless the handpicked slate gets a majority of the votes, they cannot legitimately serve on the Board of Directors.

I am committed to making Delta provide member dentists with real choice in elections for the WDS Board of Directors and not simply rubberstamp a handpicked slate of candidates. In the long term, the best way to ensure choice is through the ongoing litigation Bradshaw, et al v. WDS. In the short term, the best way to ensure choice is to vote against WDS’ handpicked slate of candidates on Friday.

On Friday, I will sign in my proxies and vote against WDS’ handpicked slate of candidates.

While I personally believe some of the handpicked slate may be strong board members, we have not been given choice. A vote for some of the slate is a vote for all of WDS’ handpicked candidates. I cannot condone an election process that fails to provide meaningful input and choice to member dentists. If a majority of member dentists vote down the slate, WDS should redo these elections so members can have real options.

I have serious concerns with the records of the incumbents. As board members, these candidates opposed important patient protections, more than doubled Board and CEO compensation, and aggressively opposed efforts by member dentists to amend the WDS bylaws to improve transparency and make Delta more patient-focused. The nomination process by which we select who represent us matters greatly.

If you are attending the annual meeting in person, I hope you will join me in voting against WDS’ handpicked slate of candidates. If you are not attending, you can assign me as your proxy by Friday at 11 AM. Click the button below to learn how to assign your proxy.

How to Assign Your Proxy
Download Replacement Proxy
Sincerely,

Dr. John Gibbons