2026 Key Objectives:
- Monitor and provide support on any current or future legislation impacting those with cleft/craniofacial conditions.
- Survey Grasstop advocates for interest in an in-depth advocacy training session.
- Identify any advocacy priorities of discipline-specific associations (e.g., ASHA, AAOMS, etc.) that may align with ACPA’s mission.
- Continue to keep the ACPA membership informed on the status of bills in Congress and alert the membership for supportive action as the bills move in the legislative process.
- Continue to develop new and strengthen existing relationships with organizations that have aligning interests.
- Support self-advocacy for individuals affected by cleft and craniofacial differences.
- Launch a self-advocacy social media campaign.
- Hold a webinar series featuring various topics related to self-advocacy.
- Implement strategies to reducing barriers to orthodontic care.
- Partner with AAO/ADA and orthodontic organizations at the state/federal level to advocate for Public Service Loan Forgiveness for craniofacial orthodontists who work at hospitals or academic institutions.
- Collaborate with larger organizations to petition ADA to define new billing codes for CFA dental/orthodontic procedures.
- Develop guidelines or documents that can assist communication exchange regarding patient care at the local cleft team with orthodontists treating team patients in private practice.
- Establish a mentorship network between non-fellowship trained providers who wish to offer craniofacial orthodontic care with providers who have completed orthodontic fellowship training.
2026 Committee Members
- Ana M. Mercado, DMD, PhD | Columbus, OH (Chair)
- Lynn M. Fox, MA, MEd, CCC-SLP | Chapel Hill, NC (Co-Chair)
- Claudia Acosta Lenis, DDS, MBA | Little Rock, AR
- Maureen S. Andrews, APRN, MSN, CPN | Aurora, CO
- Elisa H. Cardenas | Houston, TX
- Mimi T. Chao, MD | Tempe, AZ
- Daniel Y. Cho, MD, PhD | Madison, WI
- Sylvia Dominguez, LSW | Chicago, IL
- Shannon Hogan | Brecksville, OH
- Kyde L. Kelly, JD, MBA | East Liverpool, OH
- Kyle T. Malstrom, DDS, MSD | Los Angeles, CA
- Kristin D. Pfeifauf | Jacksonville, FL
- Ethan Richlak | Pittsburgh, PA
- Brianne B. Roby, MD | St. Paul, MN
- Suzanne Santomieri | Winston-Salem, NC (Ex-Officio Board Member)
- Graham Schenck, PhD, MBA, SLP | St. Paul, MN
- Erin Shope, DMD, MS | Rochester, NY
- Ronald P. Strauss, DMD, PhD | Chapel Hill, NC
- Sarah B. Vetter | Chicago, IL
