“If you took advantage of all the ADA benefits and resources, you’d see the dues are well worth it. In fact, by the time I used the discounts offered to ADA members, my dues were more than paid off.” – Wakeshi Benson, D.D.S. Detroit, MI

Advocate for access to oral health care and positive practice environments
With more than 157,000 member dentists, the ADA is America’s leading advocate for oral health. ADA activities in Washington D.C. assure that government decisions affecting dental care are made with input and counsel from organized dentistry. By working together, we support you and your practice while educating the public and seeking ways to ensure access to oral health care.

Influence oral health policy at the state and national levels
The ADA monitors 30 areas of interest in 50 states and analyzes more than 4,000 legislative bills a year. By keeping a constant watch on policy issues related to dentistry─whether in Congress, state legislatures, regulatory agencies or foreign governments─the ADA supports and promotes dentistry. Current developments are highlighted on ADA.org’s Advocacy section and you can subscribe to the Government and Public Affairs Update e-publication for regular updates.

Raise awareness on the importance of oral health for everyone
The ADA educates the public about the importance of oral health and its link to overall good oral health. The ADA’s Give Kids a Smile® day is a national effort in which thousands of member dentists take time from their practices to help underserved children receive the oral health care they need. On February 6, 2009, more than 44,900 dental team members, including 13,000 dentists, provided free educational, preventative and restorative services to 459,000 children. The ADA’s OralLongevity™ initiative with GlaxoSmithKline features a national advertising campaign and educational DVDs that encourage older Americans to visit their dentist and maintain their oral health.

Stay informed with respected information
The most respected publication in dentistry, The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) provides timely information that keeps you up to date with the ever-evolving health science. ADA News is published 22 times per year and keeps you informed about ADA activities and political, socioeconomic and legal issues affecting dentistry. To help you make thoughtful product choices that benefit your patients and your practice, the quarterly ADA Professional Product Review features technology updates, expert panel discussions, product test results, buyers’ checklists and supplementary online materials. With dental news breaking daily, you can keep up to date with the variety of e-mail publications in areas such as new products, scientific and clinical news, continuing education and government affairs.

Enrich your practice with relevant science and research
From the ADA laboratories and ADA Foundation’s Paffenbarger Research Center to its new Evidence-Based Dentistry Web site (EBD) and ADA Seal of Acceptance Program, the research and science conducted by the ADA has revolutionized the practice of dentistry to help improve your practice and health of your patients. Launched in March 2009, the EBD Web site (ebd.ada.org), which is supported by a grant from the National Library of Medicine and the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research, puts scientific information at your fingertips to assist you in your clinical decision-making process.

Save time and money
ADA publications, ADA Web resources, ADA library, ADA Catalog and the toll-free ADA Member Service Center give you the resources you need and the information you seek—all at your fingertips. And you have access to products and services at a reduced member rate through the ADA Members Insurance Program and ADA Business Resources simply by being an ADA Member.

Support a legacy of quality dental education for the next generation
The ADA Foundation is spearheading a partnership with 136 organizations to help raise awareness about the critical challenges facing dental education, such as faculty shortages, rising costs and outdated equipment. The goal is to collectively raise more than $1 billion by the year 2029 for dental education. The ADA accredits dental schools and postdoctoral training programs, as well as hygiene, assisting and laboratory technical training. The ADA certifies continuing education providers and tests thousands of students annually with the dental aptitude test (DAT) and National Board exams.

Access reliable continuing education
Get your CE when and where you want it. ADA’s online CE options allows you to earn CE anytime, anywhere, while reducing many of the expenses often associated with CE. Check out CE Online and JADA Online Continuing Education and earn CE on your own time. Quality continuing education courses are also available at ADA Annual Session (which features 180 CE courses), the ADA New Dentist Conference and through state and local dental societies with the assistance of the ADA Seminar Series.

Find support when you need it most
The ADA Contract Analysis Service will provide informational reviews of unsigned participating dentist contracts from managed care plans at no charge if you submit the contract through your state dental association. The ADA Division of Legal Affairs actively monitors and engages in legal issues that are important to or may affect ADA members and supervises litigation pertaining to ADA. It also serves as the ADA's key antitrust resource and compliance advocate. Antitrust Laws in Dentistry | PDF file/232k is an online primer that can help you achieve your objectives without creating undue antitrust risk.

Plan for your retirement
Take the challenge out of retirement planning with the ADA-endorsed Members Retirement Program. Choose from tax-qualified profit sharing plans with optional 401(k) features, where you can shelter 25 percent or more of your annual pre-tax income. With the ADA-endorsed Members Retirement Program, you can allocate your retirement savings among 29 investment funds and accounts.

Network and build your community of colleagues and friends
Organized dentistry provides a great networking opportunity to make friends, build professional relationships and have fun. With meetings at the local and state level, as well as national meetings such as ADA Annual Session, you have a variety of ways to learn and network with your peers. And with ADA365 , the ADA’s online community for Annual Session attendees, you can maintain contacts long after the meeting has ended.

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