May 2025 

Hello and greetings to everyone!

CDAA is now an independent association and things are going very well. Membership is up, the board has added more benefits for our members, and we just had our annual CDAA/ CADAT conference in Costa Mesa. Over a 130 people attended the conference including teachers, assistants, students, and doctors. CDAA would like to say a big thank you to everyone who attended.  I would also like to thank the conference committee team who put it all together:

                      Claudia Pohl,  Shari Becker,  Susan Dahn,  and  Zena Delling.

At the conference, CDAA held its Annual Members Meeting and Update. At this meeting the 2025-2026 board was sworn in. I would like to say thank you to everyone who voted and it is my pleasure to serve as your President for one more year.

 CDAA has a new student director, Madison McCallister. She is on the ground and running with great new ideas and is ready to help and guide the next future of dental assistants.

 As many know last year was very challenging for the CDAA, but as a board we figured out how to maneuver and navigate and become our own independent Association. I would like to personally thank all of the CDAA board members for working so hard over the past year to help CDAA get to where we are today! Over the past year, I have learned that growing a foundation required a solid base, consistent effort and a strong structure that helped CDAA to focus on sustainability and growth.  Some of my goals for this upcoming year include CDAA build by growing our membership, developing new leaders, and guiding the next generation of dental assistants.  We can accomplish this by focusing on networking, professional development and community outreach which will help the CDAA grow, thrive, and flourish.

This is where each one of you come in. Our CDAA Board needs volunteers who are ready to help grow the organization.

As many of you know, there is so much going on legislatively right now and CDAA needs to expand our legislative committee and we can do that by bringing in new leaders and members to our board.  If anyone of you have a skill or desire to come help the CDAA in these areas, join us!  I believe each one of you would be a valuable asset to our board and would greatly help shape our organization’s present and future goals.

 I have been involved with this Organization for 11 years and I have met some of my closest and dearest friends from not only being a member but also from serving on this board. If you’re not a member, I hope you join us and join this wonderful group so you can help pave the way for the future of dental assisting in California!

I am looking forward to a very exciting new chapter for the CDAA and as your President I am here for all assistants up and down the great state of California! I wish you all the best and hope the end of the school year goes well and everyone has a nice start to the summer.

SAVE THE DATE: APRIL 17- 18, 2026!  CDAA/ CADAT ANNUAL CONFERENCE

LOCATION TO BE DECIDED SOON.

Sincerely, 

Christine Burton Macalino RDA, CDA. BA, FADAA
President

“To advance the careers of dental assistants and to promote the dental assisting profession in matters of education, legislation, credentialing and professional activities which enhance the delivery of quality dental health care to the public.