WSDA’s Endorsement for Delta Board Election

WDS/Delta Dental of Washington (Delta) member dentists recently received an electronic proxy via email (check your spam folder) for Delta’s 2022 Annual Meeting, held on Friday, November 18. This year, there will be a contested election between Dr. Dennis Bradshaw and Dr. Elissa Maynard for the open member dentist seat on the Delta Board of Directors — the first contested election in many years.

The contested election is a direct result of the settlement of our litigation with Delta in November 2020. The governance changes directed by this settlement provide Delta members with more input into who is selected for the ballot, and therefore who is ultimately elected, to the Delta Board of Directors, the highest position of leadership in the company.

Earlier this year, four dentists on Delta’s Member Nominating Panel (MNP) — Drs. Christine Kirchner, Christopher Pickel, Nathan Russell, and Eve Rutherford — evaluated several candidates for the open board position. Half of these MNP members were selected by the WSDA Board of Directors, and half were selected by the Delta Board. After evaluating candidates, the MNP placed Dr. Bradshaw and Dr. Maynard before the Delta Board’s Governance Committee, and that committee placed both candidates on the November ballot.

Now that both candidates are on the ballot before Delta member dentists, the WSDA Board of Directors will provide its feedback on the upcoming election through this endorsement. We appreciate that Delta has provided us with all of the written materials provided by both candidates through the selection process.

WSDA Endorses Dr. Dennis Bradshaw for Election to the Delta Board

Though we believe both candidates are strong leaders who would serve member dentists well, we believe Dr. Bradshaw is the best candidate to serve on the Delta Board at this time. WSDA endorses Dr. Dennis Bradshaw for election to the Delta Board of Directors.

Dr. Bradshaw has a unique perspective and qualifications that set him apart as a candidate for the Delta Board of Directors in 2022. He was a named plaintiff in Bradshaw et al v. Washington Dental Service and was intimately involved in all key decisions leading up to the lawsuit, during the lawsuit, and in its successful settlement. He admirably served as president of WSDA for two years (2019-2021) during a time of significant volatility when a steady, prudent hand was needed to steer through multiple complex decisions. We have seen Denny’s commitment to engaging in important issues, working hard to understand multiple sides of a debate, and ultimately advocating for the answers he believes are in the best interests of patient care.

We know Dr. Bradshaw understands the significance of serving as the first director elected under the fully implemented process outlined in Delta’s revised Bylaws. We also know he is up to the challenge of proving that this process, which empowers member dentists more fully, can be a successful form of governance for years to come.

Dr. Elissa Maynard is also a strong candidate for the Delta Board of Directors. She has served admirably on Delta’s Member Advisory Panel for the last nine years. Many of us have worked with her on joint WSDA/Delta projects over the past two years and we are all impressed with her understanding of Delta’s business and dedication to both identifying problems faced by members and proposing feasible solutions. Elissa has worked in both private practice and in a Federally Qualified Health Center, not to mention her involvement in the WSDA House of Delegates, Regulatory Affairs Committee, and the now-dissolved New Dentist Think Tank. She has also served as president of the Lewis County Dental Society. We know Dr. Maynard will be a strong leader in the profession for years to come and we look forward to continuing to work with her on several endeavors.

We are excited that Delta members will have two good choices when voting in this year’s Delta Board of Directors election. Now that members can attend this meeting virtually, we encourage everyone to exercise their vote by participating in the 2022 Annual Meeting directly on November 18.

If you cannot attend, please consider assigning your proxy to WSDA President Dr. John Gibbons.

Sincerely,

WSDA Board of Directors