Industry Organizations Host ADA Dentist & Student Lobby Day
Last month, current and future leaders in the field of dental medicine came together for the first ever ADA Dentist and Student Lobby Day. Co-organized by the American Dental Association and the American Student Dental Association, this event inspired more than 1000 dentists, students, lobbyists, and legislators to gather and discuss the future of the industry.
Dentists came together in Washington with a “singular goal” in mind:
The following content was originally published by the American Dental Association on March 28, 2017.
To advocate for our profession and our patients. Today, we all belong to the same political party: the tooth party,” said Dr. Gary L. Roberts, ADA president.
Over the three-day period, ADA and ASDA members learned from each other. The seasoned dentists learned what it means to be a dental student in an era where the average debt per graduating senior is $262,000. And dental students took a break from coursework to see a glimpse of what impact new and existing legislation could have on their future careers.
“We always have to realize that the younger dentists, particularly the dental students, are the future of our profession. By including them in this venture, we’re able to put them in front of the legislators so they can explain to them what’s on their mind,” said Dr. Richard Andolina, chair, American Dental Political Action Committee.
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Dentists and students met with their respective state delegations and worked on their presentations for the next day’s visits to Capitol Hill to meet with their respective legislators.
“I have learned so much from the dentists that I met in a short period of time and made connections across multiple states,” said Emily Funk, a second-year student at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. “Lobby Day also really helps us to understand the power we have as a profession and it has been very exciting to see dentists come together from all over the country and make an impact at the national level.”
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The theme was One Voice United, and that’s just what they did: unite.