July 2026

Dear CDAA Members and Friends,

I hope you are all enjoying your summer! As I write my first President’s article, I want to begin by saying what an honor it is to serve as President of the California Dental Assistants Association. I am excited for the year ahead and grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such dedicated dental professionals.

Our CDAA/CADAT Annual Conference, held in April at the Hilton Birmingham, was a tremendous success! We were thrilled to welcome so many attendees from across the state. Our conference team received outstanding feedback through our post-conference surveys, with participants sharing how much they enjoyed the variety of workshops offered. From innovative teaching methodologies for dental assisting educators to hands-on educational sessions designed for working dental assistants, there truly was something for everyone. Our speakers delivered exceptional presentations, and we all walked away with new knowledge, inspiration, and ideas to bring back to our classrooms and practices. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make this year’s conference such a memorable event.

In May, CDAA proudly participated in the CDA Presents Scientific Session at the Anaheim Convention Center. We had the opportunity to meet so many dental professionals who stopped by our booth to learn more about CDAA and how we support the dental community. Visitors entered our membership giveaway, and congratulations to our three lucky winners!

We were also excited to share information about our new CDAA Job Board, upcoming continuing education opportunities, and the many benefits of becoming a CDAA member. Events like CDA Presents remind us how important it is to connect with dental teams throughout California and share the valuable resources our association provides.

I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our First Vice President, Linda Wyllard, for coordinating the setup and teardown of our exhibit booth and for dedicating her time throughout the convention to represent CDAA so professionally. I would also like to thank Shari Becker, Christy Burton, and Wazma Tehari for volunteering their time to staff the booth and engage with our colleagues in the dental profession. Your enthusiasm and commitment truly made a difference.

While at CDA Presents, Shari Becker and I had the privilege of meeting with Dr. Robert Hanlon, CDA President, and Dr. Joan Otomo-Corgel, CDA President-Elect. We had an engaging conversation about the CDA Summit and discussed ways our organizations can collaborate to better serve CDA members and the entire dental team. I am encouraged by these conversations and look forward to future opportunities to work together to strengthen our profession.

Looking ahead, I am beginning to schedule visits with dental assisting programs throughout California to increase awareness of CDAA and the many ways we support students as they transition from graduation into their professional careers. Building relationships with future dental assistants is an important priority, and I am excited to introduce students to the value of professional membership, continuing education, networking, and career development.

I also want to remind everyone about an upcoming continuing education opportunity hosted by SFVDAS/PVDAS:

Fixed vs. Removable Full Arch Prosthetics
Presented by Cameo Stover, RDAEF2
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
7:00–9:00 PM
Via Zoom

I would love to see many of you there as we continue learning together and supporting one another through continuing education.

Thank you for your continued dedication to our profession and for your support of CDAA. Together, we will continue to strengthen our association, support our members, and advance the profession of dental assisting throughout California.

I wish you all a wonderful summer, and I look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events.

Warmly,

Zeña B. Delling RDA, AA, AS
President California Dental Assistants Association
President’s email

“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.