DCG Trivia Night 2026: Test Yourself on Dental Policy Trivia
Q: In which decade was CMS’s first ever chief dental officer appointed?Q: Name 5 states that passed dental insurance reform legislation in 2026 (As of 7/3/2026).
Q: This Boston silversmith also made and wired in false teeth. In 1776, he identified the body of his friend Dr. Joseph Warren by a dental bridge he had made, considered the first case of forensic dentistry in America. Who was he?
(Answers are at the bottom of the article)
Dental College of Georgia students and faculty joined Janelle Adams, GDA’s Director of Government Affairs, and Jon Hoin, GDA’s Senior Health Policy Manager, for a round of trivia on Monday at Savannah River Brewing in Augusta. Questions covered topics ranging from dental health policy to the going rate of the tooth fairy. In its third consecutive year, the event has officially become an annual tradition, providing an opportunity for future dentists to learn about advocacy and organized dentistry.
While the focus of the event was on dental health policy (How many hygienist FTE does the United States need to meet expected demand in 2027?), it also provides an opportunity for students to put their knowledge of Georgia (Which state is the nation's top peach producer?) and of dental history (Published in April of 2026, an article in the British Dental Journal described evidence of the earliest known example of restorative dentistry in Scotland. What century did the patient live in?).
Making sure early career dentists are informed and engaged on issues that matter most to their future careers is a major priority for the GDA. Organized dentistry is by definition a collaborative effort, and that means every dentist should be informed no matter when they graduated from dental school. Beyond participation in trivia, dental students and new graduates have other advocacy opportunities and ways to get involved. The GDA’s signature LAW Day event is open to students, and ADA’s Lobby Day event in Washington encourages the presence of new dentists by holding space specifically for them.
It is also important to make sure that dentists know that advocacy for the profession makes a difference. Laws do (or don’t) get passed thanks to feedback from dentists. Budget allocations, typically millions of dollars annually, find their way to key initiatives supporting the practice of quality dental care in Georgia because dentists speak up. Sometimes, all it takes is one phone call, and sometimes it takes years of patient and coordinated effort to make important changes to state and national health policy. In either case, that effort makes a difference. It means a new graduate can return home to their rural community, confident that their student loan debt will fall, and that someone will be a bulwark against dental insurance companies’ worst impulses.
The prizewinning “Team of 4” receives congratulations, and chicken, for a job well done.
The evening also contributed to one of the most important, yet intangible, benefits of organized dentistry. Creating the opportunity for dentists to gather, to develop lifelong friendships and find mentorship and support, requires deliberate effort. All people benefit from spending time with peers and friends. The GDA will always be a community for dentists (and soon to be) dentists.
To participate in the GDA’s advocacy efforts, consider becoming a contact dentist, donating to GDAPAC, and attending LAWDay 2027 and ADA Lobby Day 2027. The GDA also provides students and members opportunities to gather throughout the year. The GDA will be bringing its signature Block Party back to Augusta in 2027. Stay tuned for more details.
And now without further ado, the answers to all the questions referenced in the article above.
Q: In which decade was CMS’s first ever chief dental officer appointed?
A: CMS announced the appointment of Natalia Chalmers in 2021.
Q: Name 5 states that passed dental insurance reform legislation in 2026 (As of 7/3/2026).
Q: This Boston silversmith also made and wired in false teeth. In 1776, he identified the body of his friend Dr. Joseph Warren by a dental bridge he had made, considered the first case of forensic dentistry in America. Who was he?
A: Paul Revere
Q: According to Delta Dental’s Tooth Fairy Index, what is the going rate for a tooth these days in the United States?
A: $5.84
Q: How many hygienist FTE does the United States need to meet expected demand in 2027?
A: 24,290 (According to HRSA Projections)
Q: Which state is the nation’s top peach producer?
A: California (Georgia is usually a distant third)
Q: Published in April of 2026, an article in the British Dental Journal described evidence of the earliest known example of restorative dentistry in Scotland. What century did the patient live in?
A: Sometime between 1460 and 1670 (The evidence of treatment was a gold ligature)