The ADA

The American Dental Association or the ADA is the oldest association dedicated to dentistry in the world. It is also the largest and leading dental association among all that have been established in different regions of the globe. Established in the year 1859, the ADA is now home to more than 155, 000 members globally. The Association has been involved in extensive research and studies associated to dental practice and health, and has aided in a number of dental implementation advancements that are now being practiced as standards all over the world today.

The association organizes different training programs, certification and specialization courses, seminars, workshops, symposiums and other practical and theoretical sessions that are aimed at improving the current dental standards, and has also played perhaps the most significant role in creating the awareness of the importance of good oral health and hygiene not only across America, but also globally. The basic aim of the existence of ADA today is the advancement of dental practice and techniques for the promotion of better oral health and ethics.

About the American Dental Association and its various societies

The total number of members of the ADA today exceeds 155, 000 people, originating from 55 state territorial, as well as 545 local dental societies. All these societies constitute the functioning of the Association across the States. These societies, combined with the supervision and guidance of the ADA, organize various education programs for students and dental professionals alike. These programs are aimed at inculcating the latest in dental practice, including scientific advancement in equipment, techniques, as well as theoretical learning and understanding of dental concepts. The headquarters of the association are located in Chicago, Illinois and the founder of the ADA was William Henry Atkinson.

Benefits of joining the American Dental Association as a Member

As the largest dental association of the world, the ADA allows its members to enjoy a number of benefits which are both educational as well as recreational. The education aspect of the benefits include great discounts on textbooks as well as free access to e-book downloading for members, the members can avail free entrance to all seminars and dentistry related events that are being held under the supervision of the association, members are updated regarding all workshops and training sessions that are taking place in the country and members also enjoy a subscription of the American Dental Association’s publications. There are several recreational and leisure activities also included in the membership package of the organization, the complete and comprehensive details of which are regularly updated on the official website of the association.

The American Dental Association offers a number of memberships based on the age, experience and dental association of an individual. Thus there is a complete list of all memberships that are offered, from which an individual can choose the most appropriate one. The benefits of all memberships may differ, but there are certain aspects which remain common in all.
Membership with the American Dental Association is not just restricted to the people of America; anyone across the globe can become affiliated with the organization and enjoy all the benefits which are provided to the members within the US alike. It is for this reason, and the fact that the ADA has contributed extensively to dental research and advancements that it is the largest dental association of the US and of the world today.

The American Dental Association is counted among the top Dental Associations of the world. The USA is home to 62 schools of dentistry which are located in 36 of its states, as well as Puerto Rico.

List of professional Dental Schools in the USA

Following is a list of all registered dental schools in USA.

1. University of Alabama School of Dentistry
2. Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine
3. Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health
4. Western University of Health Sciences School of Dental Medicine
5. UCLA School of Dentistry
6. University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry
7. Loma Linda University School of Dentistry
8. University of California at San Francisco School of Dentistry
9. University of Southern California the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry
10. University of Connecticut Health Center School of Dental Medicine
11. University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine
12. Howard University College of Dentistry
13. Georgia Health Sciences University College of Dental Medicine
14. Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine
15. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
16. University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry
17. University of Florida College of Dentistry
18. Indiana University School of Dentistry
19. Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine
20. Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine
21. University of Louisville School of Dentistry
22. University of Iowa College of Dentistry
23. Louisiana State University School of Dentistry
24. University of Kentucky College of Dentistry
25. Harvard School of Dental Medicine
26. University of Maryland at Baltimore School of Dentistry
27. Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
28. Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine
29. University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry
30. University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry
31. University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Dentistry
32. University of Michigan School of Dentistry
33. University of Minnesota School of Dentistry
34. University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
35. Creighton University School of Dentistry
36. University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry
37. University of Nevada at Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine
38. State University of New York at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine
39. East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine
40. New York University College of Dentistry
41. University of North Carolina School of Dentistry
42. Columbia University College of Dental Medicine
43. State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine
44. Case School of Dental Medicine
45. Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry
46. Ohio State University College of Dentistry
47. University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry
48. University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
49. University of Puerto Rico School of Dentistry
50. Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry
51. University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine
52. The Dental School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
53. Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry
54. University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
55. University of Tennessee College of Dentistry
56. Baylor College of Dentistry
57. Medical University of South Carolina College of Dental Medicine
58. West Virginia University School of Dentistry
59. Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry
60. Marquette University School of Dentistry
61. Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine
62. University of Washington School of Dentistry

From this vast list of dental schools spread out across the United States, it is evident that dental education is highly promoted and is continuing to grow in the nation. Thousands of students enter the dental field every year and continue to do so, proving that the field of Dentistry will rapidly gain more professionals in the near future.

This article discusses the various benefits and advantages of joining and becoming affiliated with active dental associations in order to encourage more dental professionals and students to acquire the knowledge and experience that comes from it.

The Benefits of being a Member

There are numerous benefits associated with becoming affiliated with the dental association of your country.

Some of the most prominent benefits have been explained as follows:

Networking and Social Interaction

One of the leading benefits of joining a dental association is acquiring a chance to meet and interact with some of the leading names in the field. With these social and professional interactions, a Dental Association aims to boost the chances of spreading knowledge and expertise that come from experiences of its various members. The discussions resulting from these experiences and studies pave way for future developments. Dental Associations arrange seminars, conferences and symposiums to allow their members a chance to interact with like- minded individuals as well as share their thoughts, knowledge and experiences in the field. These events and activities allow many students to gain a thorough insight of how to plan their future goals in the field, as well as knowledge on how to get affiliated with international dental federations and associations.

Providing Resources

The Dental Associations of a particular country work on the principles of guiding young individuals in their path towards becoming one of the leading professionals of dentistry in their country. This includes providing them with all the resources required to move forward. These resources include lectures, guidance programs, educational and clinical consultancy, an insight into the latest developments and breakthroughs of dentistry, as well as new techniques and procedures being practiced in developed countries of the world along with hands- on training sessions. A majority of the Dental Associations have their own publications in the form of papers and newsletters to keep members updated with the latest happenings in the world of dentistry.

Miscellaneous Benefits

The benefits provided to members vary from association to association. Some of the most popular and established associations such as the American Dental Association (ADA) provides its members with a number of impressive benefits such as liability insurance and accidental death insurance. While insurances may not be provided by all the dental association of the world, majority of them do include various membership discounts, as well as leisure activities. They also include a subscription to the association’s publications as well as some scholarships. It is advised for all individuals interested in becoming members to first thoroughly read and understand the list of benefits provided by the dental association in question.

Promotion of the Field

Another one of the many purposes that Dental Associations aim for is the promotion of the field. This aspect not only caters to the dental community, but also those outside the community who have questions and queries related to the various practices and techniques used around the world. The promotion of dentistry and its importance plays a major role in raising the awareness regarding oral health and hygiene.

Books and Resource Material

Other major Dental Associations such as the British Dental Association provide members 20-50% discounts on textbooks and other reference materials. The association also allows members to download free e-books as required. Other benefits include free entrance to all dental activities and events held under their banner.

From this in- depth elucidation of the benefits of membership with a Dental Association, it is clear that anyone in the field of dentistry should be encouraged to join the one in their country.

The association, since the day of its establishment, has been dedicated to improving the quality of procedures, oral health care, dental work ethics as well as the relationship of dental professionals with their patients. The current number of members that are associated with the ADA is 156, 000 from all over America. Today, the ADA takes charge of providing approval to hundreds of dental products and procedures that have been labeled safe and effective for use.

Member Benefits

Unlike many other associations related to dentistry, the ADA provides all its members with a great number of facilities. These facilities are aimed at providing members with better access to resources in terms of study material and content, as well as various other events in the form of seminars, publications, conferences, symposiums and other leisure activities. Some of the most prominent facilities and benefits that are offered by the ADA for its members only include the use of their Dental Practice Hub, a complete member directory with updated listing of all new and old members as well as logos provided for all members by the ADA. The ADA also offers a number of graduated payment options for fresh dental graduates.

Memberships offered by the ADA

There are a number of membership types that are offered by the ADA depending upon the age and experience of the dental professional/student. Membership programs include Direct Membership and Tripartite membership. The latter is a membership option for all active and licensed dental professionals in the country and the former is a membership that is open to students and dentists who have not acquired a practicing license. The comprehensive website for the American Dental Association provides online forms for the registration of both memberships.

Other membership types include the Life Membership, which is granted to members who have been associated with the ADA for thirty to forty years consecutively. This membership is granted to dental professionals who are 65, or over 65 years of age.

Retired Life Membership is granted to those dental professionals who have retired from practice and have no active source of income from the dental society. Retired membership is granted only to active members who have retired from dental practice after being associated with the ADA, and do not have a source of income related to the dental community anymore.

Another type of membership is the Humanitarian Practitioner Membership, which is granted to full time dentists serving a humanitarian organization and who are hence not earning any salary from their work. This membership is only granted to members once they have completed one year in the service. For members who are practicing dentistry in countries other than the US, the affiliate membership is available and have access to all benefits provided by the association. The associate membership is for all those individuals who are not eligible for any other form of membership offered by the ADA, and do not have a dental practitioner’s license in USA.

The ADA offers various categories of memberships in order to combine and bring together a community of individuals with common experience. A membership form as well as a step- by- step guideline is provided with every membership on the official website of the association.