American Dental Association

• The American Dental Association (ADA) was founded August 1859, at Niagara Falls, N.Y., by 26 dentists representing various dental societies in the United States.
  
• The ADA today has more than 155,000 dentist members 53 constituent (state-territorial) and 545 component (local) dental societies. It is the largest and oldest national dental association in the world.
  
• The Association has more than 400 employees at its headquarters in Chicago and its office in Washington, D.C.
  
• The Board of Trustees, the administrative body of the Association, is composed of the President, the President-elect, two Vice Presidents and 17 trustees from each of the 17 trustee districts in the United States. The Treasurer and Executive Director serve as ex officio members.
  
• The Speaker of the House of Delegates, as an elective officer of the Association, attends all meetings of the Board of Trustees but is not a voting member of the Board.
  
• The House of Delegates, the legislative body of the Association, is composed of 467 delegates representing 53 constituent societies, five federal dental services and the American Student Dental Association. The House meets once a year during the Association's annual session
• President of the ADA is Mark J. Feldman, D.M.D.
  
• Chief Executive Officer of the Association is Dr. James B. Bramson.
  
• The Association's 11 councils serve as policy recommending agencies. Each council is assigned to study issues relating to its special area of interest and to make recommendations on those matters to the Board of Trustees and the House of Delegates.
  
• The Association's official publication is The Journal of the American Dental Association. Other publications include the ADA News and the ADA Guide to Dental Therapeutics.
  
• The Commission on Dental Accreditation, which operates under the auspices of the ADA, is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the national accrediting body for dental, advanced dental and allied dental education programs in the United States.
  
• The ADA formally recognizes 9 specialty areas of dental practice: dental public health, endodontics, oral and maxillofacial pathology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, prosthodontics, and oral and maxillofacial radiology.
  
• The ADA library is one of the largest dental libraries in the world housing thousands of books and journal volumes. ADA members can request articles from the ADA Library in electronic format, or consult with experienced dental librarians for information on any dental topic.
  
• The ADA Foundation is the charitable arm of the Association. The Foundation provides grants for dental research, education, scholarships, access to care and charitable assistance programs such as relief grants to dentists and their dependents who are unable to support themselves due to injury, a medical condition or advanced age; and grants to those who are victims of disasters

Empowers Dentists
Members want to maintain the ability to recommend the most safe and effective dental treatment for their patients. Through legislative advocacy, the ADA is the "voice of the profession" in Congress. ADA lobbyists help uphold the integrity of the profession by addressing critical issues such as HIPAA, OSHA regulations, tax deductions for student loan interest, and cash vs. accrual accounting for small businesses. Also, other arms of the ADA, particularly Government Affairs, advocate for you on a daily basis on the lobbying and regulatory fronts.

Advocates for You and Your Patients
The ADA works tirelessly on many fronts to protect you, your patients, and the dentist-patient relationship. ADA attorneys have taken on insurance companies to ensure that they pay dentists what they promise and treat them fairly. ADA has had more than 30 cases dismissed that tried to curtail the patients’ right to choose dental amalgam when recommended by their dentists.

Supports Dental Education for the Next Generation
The ADA accredits dental schools and postdoctoral training programs, as well as hygiene, assisting and laboratory tech training. The ADA certifies continuing education providers and tests thousands of students annually with the dental aptitude test (DAT) and National Board exams. The ADA and the ADA Foundation are taking the lead in establishing a collaborative initiative with dental schools, specialty organizations, industry and other partners to address the challenges facing dental education.

Promotes Oral Health
The ADA continues to lead the way in promoting the importance of proper oral hygiene. The ADA is working hard to increase access to dental care for those who need it most. With Give Kids a Smile! the nation’s dentists provide free oral health care services to over one million low-income children across the country. In addition, the Harris Fund, established by the ADA Foundation, grants up to $5,000 for educational and preventative programs, seeking to improve children’s dental health. The $195,000 awarded by the Fund in 2006 will serve more than 200,000 children in 26 states. At the forefront in 2006 is the Oral-Systemic Health Campaign which focuses on the relationship between oral health and overall body health.

Enhances the Reputation of the Profession
The ADA accredits dental schools and postdoctoral training programs, as well as hygiene, assisting and laboratory tech training. The ADA certifies continuing education providers and tests thousands of students annually with the dental aptitude test (DAT) and National Board exams. The ADA is the leading authority on dental health and consumer care. Consumers turn to the ADA Seal of Acceptance and ongoing oral health campaigns.

Saves Time and Money
With the largest dental library in the world, a comprehensive Web site offering up-to-the-minute practice management, health, and advocacy information, as well as a members-only toll free number, members know the ADA is the place for information they seek. And you have access to discounted products and services like the ADA Members Insurance Program, simply because you are an ADA Member.

Keeps You Informed
The award-winning Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) and the ADA News provide comprehensive coverage of activities and scientific advances. Additionally, JADA provides opportunities for enhancing professional knowledge by offering continuing education credits. In fact, the ADA provides many forums for continuing education credit throughout the year. In addition to local and state society offerings, the ADA offers a variety of seminars at Annual Session.

Helps You Focus on Care
By providing business resources that work, the ADA can help you focus on patients while keeping your practice financially healthy. With ADA Member Advantage members have access to products and services to meet their professional needs despite the demands of an active practice.

Instills Confidence in Your Decisions
The ADA's Contract Analysis Service offers informational reviews of unsigned dental provider contracts with insurers and health plans. The reviews are free of charge if the contract is submitted through your state dental association. Additionally, the ADA's legal division offers reviews of certain types of HIPAA business associate agreements, including those offered by practice management software vendors, malpractice insurers, or companies offering ADABEI-endorsed products or services. For more information, contact the ADA Legal Division.

Eases the Transition to Retirement
Planning for the future can be challenging. The ADA provides tools to help plan for retirement, including theADA Members Retirement Program , which offers tax-qualified profit sharing, pension, 401(k) and defined benefits plans. Members also have access to a low-fee IRA with more than $90 million in invested assets and 17 investment options.

Builds Friendships, Camaraderie, and Community
Organized dentistry provides a great networking opportunity to make friends, build professional relationships and have fun. In addition to state and local society meetings and events, the ADA Annual Session provides opportunities for members to fulfill continuing education credits and interact with their peers from across the country at the premier dental meeting in the nation