WSDA Executive Director Bracken Killpack has been named to the Puget Sound Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list of young local business and community leaders for 2021. Killpack was honored for his commitment to bringing high-quality oral health care to more Washingtonians. In particular, the paper recognized his role in helping WSDA plot a new course in its relations with Delta Dental of Washington and brokering a landmark settlement that gives dentists more say in Delta policies and governance. The impact of the settlement is being seen in new WSDA-Delta cooperative initiatives, such as supporting the transfer and expansion of the Shoreline Community College Dental Hygiene Program to the University of Washington School of Dentistry, and other efforts to jointly address an acute dental hygienist shortage that constrains access to preventive care in Western Washington. His willingness to partner with other organizations has also led to the creation of WSDA-supported dental residencies, in which fully trained and licensed dentists provide up to $700,000 each, per year, in free or reduced fee care to underserved patients.  

In addition to his ongoing efforts to enhance access to care, Killpack was recognized for his leadership over the past year in coordinating dentistry’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic so that dentists could continue to care for patients and serve the community. Specific contributions included working with dentists to donate excess PPE to front-line responders early in the crisis, coordinating with the state to secure and distribute replacement PPE statewide to enable the safe reopening of dental offices, and responding to the governor’s call for health care providers to encourage their patients to become vaccinated with a statewide public information campaign that included dentist-authored pro-vaccine columns in newspapers in Seattle, Spokane, Tri-Cities, Yakima, and other markets. 

“This recognition is well deserved,” said WSDA Immediate Past President Dr. Denny Bradshaw. “I know I speak for everyone at WSDA when I say that we are very fortunate and very proud to have Bracken representing us in our dealings with the governor, legislature, local officials, other business leaders, social service providers, and others.” 

Read more about Bracken and the award in his interview in the Puget Sound Business Journal.