The American Dental Association—Tap into the Power
Introduction
Congratulations! You’ve worked hard, and you‘ve achieved a tremendous goal — graduation from dental school. It’s an exciting time, but it can also be a bit unnerving. Your life as a dental student may be over, but your career in dentistry is just beginning.
While you may no longer see your classmates every day, the American Dental Association will be with you every step of the way. With membership in the ADA, you’ll enjoy camaraderie with other dentists, assistance from a varied and knowledgeable staff, easy access to information on virtually everything you need to know, the strength of unity and the pride of knowing you belong to your professional organization.
Whether you continue your education, enter the federal dental services, work as an employed dentist or start a solo practice, ADA has what you need.
Return to Top Take a Look at Some of the Benefits of ADA Membership
Professional Contacts. Through the ADA and state and local dental societies, you’ll make new contacts in the profession — contacts that can help you now and throughout your career. You’ll get to know other dentists and learn about the choices they’ve made and the successes they’ve had. You’ll also be able to share your views and experiences with people who can understand and appreciate them.
Practice Management. Through seminars, publications, materials from the ADA Catalog and Association staff, members have access to information on virtually every aspect of practice management.
Insurance Services. Surveys show that the ADA group insurance plans are among the most valued membership benefits. They include term life, universal life, disability income, overhead expense and supplementary medical. Additional insurance plans may be offered through your state and local dental society, including professional liability and major medical.
Business and Financial Services. The ADA Member AdvantageSM Program, offered through ADA Business Enterprises Inc., provides a variety of business and financial services including dental practice financing, patient treatment financing, credit card processing, website development, online payroll services, Platinum MasterCard and a home mortgage program.
Advocacy. As the “voice of the dental profession” in Washington, DC, the ADA advocates dentistry’s position on national issues such as health system reform, OSHA and FDA regulations.
Meetings and Conferences. State and local dental society meetings and conferences, as well as the National Conference on the New Dentist and ADA’s Annual Session, are excellent opportunities to get to know other dentists, discuss personal and professional topics, learn from valuable educational programs and have fun.
Publications. ADA News keeps members up-to-date on the latest news of dentists, dentistry and the Association. For information on research, clinical practice, practice management, classified ads and more, consult the award-winning Journal of the American Dental Association. In addition, member new dentists receive ADA New Dentist News, a quarterly publication that focuses on issues of importance to new practitioners.
Legal Services. Members may obtain expert legal information on a variety of topics including OSHA regulations, AIDS-related issues, antitrust laws, other federal laws issues and insurance contract analysis.
The ADA Library. Members enjoy full privileges of the world’s largest dental library. In addition to standard library services, the ADA offers “reference packages,” which are custom-made packets of journal articles on any dental topic.
ADA’s Toll-free Number. Members are only a toll-free telephone call away from the experience and resources of the American Dental Association. If you’re a member and you have a question on anything related to dentistry, there’s a good chance it can be answered with a free phone call to the Association headquarters.
ADA.org. Need information for your patients or yourself? Want to find or register for an educational seminar or dental meeting? Would a link to our online “Find a Dentist Directory” help market your practice? How about one source to access: MedlineTM, practice management tips, Today’s News, the ADA Journal, a discussion forum, regulatory issues, links to dental societies, dental schools, product & service discounts? It’s the information you want, when you want it at www.ada.org.
Return to Top Committee on the New Dentist
You and other new dentists just getting started have specific needs, interests and concerns. There is an ADA committee created especially for you.
The Committee on the New Dentist (CND) addresses the issues that impact recent graduates, facilitating your success in a rapidly changing world. A standing committee of the ADA Board of Trustees, the Committee communicates directly with the Board and provides the ADA with insight into the perspectives, trends, needs and interests of the new dentist. A critical component of the CND is the New Dentist Committee Network. There are 45 state new dentist committees, and more than 100 local new dentist committees working on behalf of new dentists nationwide. This network provides vital communication throughout the tripartite network (local dental societies, state societies and the national association).
The National Conference on the New Dentist is another important and very popular program sponsored by the CND. This annual conference, designed for new dentists, is a two-day program focusing on leadership, clinical issues, professional issues, and practice management. In addition, an open forum and an idea exchange session provide opportunities for attendees to network and share experiences. This year’s conference will be held June 23-25, 2005, at the Westin River North in Chicago.
Return to Top How to Join the ADA
Membership in the American Dental Association consists of three levels — local, state and national — which we call a tripartite structure. Most members of the Association are tripartite members; some exceptions are federal dental services dentists, graduate students, and provisional members.
Tripartite Membership. If you are heading directly from dental school into practice, you are eligible for tripartite membership. You should contact your state society as soon as you know where you’ll be practicing. The state society will give you information on application procedures, dues, benefits and your local society.
Tripartite Dues. Total dues vary for tripartite members, depending upon the state and local dues. In 2005 the total for national dues and mandatory assessments is $465; however, as a new graduate, you may be eligible for reduced dues for your first four years out of school. Your dues are actually subsidized by ADA’s established member dentists. They understand that your finances may be limited when you begin your practice. In your first year out of school, your dues are $0; in the second year, your dues are only 25% of full national dues/assessment; in your third year out of school, dues/assessment are 50%; and in your fourth year, dues are 75% of full national dues/assessment. Most state and local societies also reduce dues for recent graduates. Your state society will provide you with that information.
Graduate Students. If you are continuing your education in a postdoctoral or residency program, you may join the ADA directly as a graduate student member. You also have the option of tripartite membership. For ADA graduate student membership information, please call the ADA National office at 1-800-621-8099, ext. 2699.
Graduate Student Dues. Annual dues for the ADA graduate student members are $30. After the completion of your postdoctoral/residency training, you are eligible for reduced ADA dues for four years. You are only eligible for the reduced ADA dues if you maintain ADA membership as a graduate student.
Federal Dentists. If you will be practicing in the Federal Dental Services (military, VA, Public Health Service, Civil Service or otherwise federally employed), you may join either as a tripartite member or as a direct member of the national ADA. FDS dentists who are enrolled in an advanced dental education program may be eligible for graduate student membership. If you are interested in tripartite membership, please contact your state dental society. If you wish to join as a direct member (either FDS or graduate student membership), call the federal dental service membership service representative at 1-800-232-2083.
Federal Dentist Dues. FDS dentists who are direct ADA members pay national dues and mandatory assessments; in 2005, the total is $465. You are eligible for reduced dues for your first through fourth years out of school. If you join the ADA directly as a federal dental services member your first year out, your dues are $0. With continuous membership, your dues/assessment will be just 25% in the second year, 50% in the third year and 75% in the fourth year. If you join as a tripartite member, please refer to the paragraph on tripartite membership dues. If you join as a graduate student member, please refer to the paragraph on graduate student membership dues.
Provisional Membership. Recent U.S. dental school graduates or recently licensed graduates of foreign dental schools, who have not established a practice location and therefore may not be eligible to join at the constituent and component levels, may be eligible for direct provisional membership in the ADA. You must apply for provisional membership within 12 months of graduation, and eligibility will terminate December 31 of the second full calendar year following the year in which the degree was awarded. For more information or an application, please call 1-800-621-8099, ext. 2939.
Provisional Membership Dues. Dentists who meet the criteria for provisional membership pay $0 for provisional membership for the first calendar year following dental school graduation, and may continue for an additional year of provisional membership at 25% of full direct dues/assessment.
If you have further questions about American Dental Association membership, visit the membership section of ADA.org or call 1-800-621-8099, ext. 2607.
When You Join the ADA, the ADA Joins You.
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