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On October 1, Delta Dental of Washington (DDWA)/Washington Dental Service (WDS) member dentists received email notice about the DDWA/WDS Annual Membership Meeting, with a request to register or submit a proxy for the virtual meeting.

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Important Reminder: DO NOT take any action regarding this membership meeting. Do NOT register and do NOT submit your proxy — simply ignore the email and any further meeting or proxy communications from DDWA. WSDA is calling on all dentists to NOT participate in any DDWA annual member meeting until the company changes its anticompetitive out-of-network policy.

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As WSDA shared earlier this year, DDWA has a uniquely anticompetitive out-of-network reimbursement policy that punishes patients and dentists. We are urging dentists to help demonstrate the need for a change to this policy. Additionally, you can learn about our next steps on dental benefits reform legislation here.

Here’s why choosing to NOT participate in the annual member meeting is so important:

• DDWA cannot elect, re-elect, or appoint member directors to its board of directors without a quorum at an annual or special meeting.
• Since the settlement of WSDA’s lawsuit with DDWA in 2020, DDWA has been unable to achieve a quorum without the assistance of WSDA.
• The WSDA Board of Directors has decided that the Association will no longer provide that assistance and will, in fact, discourage participation by WSDA members unless and until DDWA changes its out-of-network reimbursement policy.
• The company can try to fill vacancies on a short-term basis, but that cannot happen unless three of four members of its Member Nominating Panel (MNP) recommend a candidate. As part of our lawsuit settlement, there are two WSDA representatives on the MNP who are equally committed to pushing for a change in this policy.