Litigation Support

The ADA explores possible participation in lawsuits that may be of national significance to dentistry.

Criteria for Providing Financial Assistance in Matters Having National Significance Involving Constituent and Component Dental Societies, Related Dental Organizations and Individuals

The following criteria will be used, in consultation with the Executive Director and the Board of Trustees, to evaluate a request from a constituent or component society, a dentally related organization or member for financial assistance in matters having national significance. They are guidelines only, and all final decisions regarding the provision of such assistance rest with the Board of Trustees.

The matter must be of national significance to the dental profession and must be supportive of the programs, policies and mission of the Association.
The request must be timely with respect to the course of action chosen; the course of action for which support is requested must be the best method of accomplishing the desired result for the profession; and there must be a reasonable chance for success on the merits in the matter.
The ADA must have authority to participate in and direct the project for which the funds are requested, to the extent it considers appropriate and necessary (e.g., selection of outside counsel in legal matters; participation in the development of strategies; and participation in decision making on issues that may affect the outcome of the matter).
The requesting party must demonstrate a significant commitment to the matter, in almost all cases of a financial nature, and must make a commitment that the funds will be used only for the specific purpose stated in the request.
The ADA may request additional supporting documentation on a case-by-case basis to substantiate the request, including but not limited to a projected budget, copies of correspondence, court documents and related materials, etc.
Before a grant is approved by the ADA Board of Trustees, the ADA Legal Division shall reserve the right to investigate the facts of a matter to determine if the awarding of a grant will create any possible legal liability to the ADA.
The requesting party must agree to provide the ADA with periodic reports upon request, as well as documentation about how the funding has been used, including permission to allow the ADA to examine financial books and records regarding the matter.
The requesting party must submit the request through its ADA trustee. In the instance of an individual ADA member, the request must be submitted first to the constituent dental society.

These materials are intended to provide helpful information to dentists and dental team members. They are in no way a substitute for actual professional advice based upon your unique facts and circumstances. This content is not intended or offered, nor should it be taken, as legal or other professional advice. Neither the ADA nor its affiliated entities make any representations or warranties, of any kind or any nature, whether express or implied, created by law, contract or otherwise, including, without limitation, any representations or warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title or non-infringement. You should always consult with your own professional advisors (e.g. attorney, accountant, insurance carrier). To the extent ADA has included links to any third party web site(s), ADA intends no endorsement of their content and implies no affiliation with the organizations that provide their content. Further, ADA makes no representations or warranties about the information provided on those sites.