Organized Dentistry...why?!

[Oracle DMD]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

After a rep from the AGD came to speak to my school about organized dentistry's position on MLP's, it occured to me, why even bother with the ADA or AGD or even ASDA??

The rep came to talk to us as an opposition viewpoint to the MLP situations. what i learned was that:
1) the ADA has a huge building in chicago that spends $2 million dollars a day on lobbying 😱
2) the result of that lobby was that they lost to eskimo hygienists and minnisota midlevels.
3) direct quote concering the power of organized dentistry..."we can't really DO anything"
4) never work for coporate chain dentistry (this had nothing to do w/ MLPs but it was his strongest arguement)

regardless of how you might feel about MLPs, i was more concered that the powers that be, have no power at all. that led me to ASDA. outside of fundraising and guest lecturers, i dont see too much going on there either.

so why be a part of these lobbying organizations???

can someone help me out with the upside here? maybe i'm missing something...

 

[gryffindor]

While I was in dental school, ASDA was big on lobbying for increased mobility with dental licensure and PGY1 acceptance in lieu of a board exam for licensure. The PGY1 thing happened in NY (2004) and California started accepting the WREB and got rid of its infamously notorious state exam (2005). Those are definitely two big changes that occurred that has changed the lives of future dental students. I think some ASDA peeps were involved in them.

But I'm still disenchanted with the ADA. I can't bear to read the ADA News dedicated mostly to GKAS glory and I usually don't have time or interest to read the journal (I saved a recent one that had TMD on the cover, I'll read that one when I get a chance). I'll probably have to stay a member to be involved with the local dental society for networking.

 

[Lily143]

I joined the ADA (and state and local dental organization) and the AGD because I want to go to dental meetings for CE and networking. Cost of entry is very expensive for nonmembers. Simple as that.

 

[redrocksdentist]

Every single industry in the country has a professional association protecting their interests from lawyers and politicians. It should be no different in dentistry. In fact it would be seriously detrimental to your wallet, autonomy and patients not to have a strong ADA.

The ADA had no choice but to "play ball" on the MLP in Minnesota. The thing is when you have a majority liberal legislature passing feel-good legislation (as is the case in MN) there isn't much you can do to stop it-- you can only reshape it around the edges. Of course if it was a more evenly divided legislature the ADA would have gone full out against the MLP. So the ADA tried to make it better.

Right now the ADA is trying to prevent introduction of the MLP in the national healthcare legislation.

Your first 5 years out of school ADA dues are free or significantly reduced.

 

[reapply2007]

Save the money. Donate it to the Red Cross. Get the tax write off.

 

[mike3kgt]

After a rep from the AGD came to speak to my school about organized dentistry's position on MLP's, it occured to me, why even bother with the ADA or AGD or even ASDA??

The rep came to talk to us as an opposition viewpoint to the MLP situations. what i learned was that:
1) the ADA has a huge building in chicago that spends $2 million dollars a day on lobbying 😱
2) the result of that lobby was that they lost to eskimo hygienists and minnisota midlevels.
3) direct quote concering the power of organized dentistry..."we can't really DO anything"
4) never work for coporate chain dentistry (this had nothing to do w/ MLPs but it was his strongest arguement)

regardless of how you might feel about MLPs, i was more concered that the powers that be, have no power at all. that led me to ASDA. outside of fundraising and guest lecturers, i dont see too much going on there either.

so why be a part of these lobbying organizations???

can someone help me out with the upside here? maybe i'm missing something...

Many of the reasons I too, have become disappointed with organized dentistry. The ADA, however, has shown some good resolve regarding national healthcare reform recently.

I am just truly and ultimately disappointed with their stance in support of medicaid funding across the board and their NIMBY attitude regarding "asking" all dentists to accept medicaid patients and enroll in government plans to better the profession. Don't think so, never again, sorry, NEVER. State-level organized dentistry is much more effective than national ADA, IMO.

The AGD is a much more apt to represent general dentists nationally (and dentistry as a whole) but we MUST support the ADA because it's really all we got holding back the floodgate... and these days... it seems they may be doing it with their pinky finger stuck in the dam, but they're trying.

 

[Aceofspades]

1) the ADA has a huge building in chicago that spends $2 million dollars a day on lobbying 😱

Are you sure? 730 MILLION dollars a year? That's creeping up on a billion. If this number is true it probably includes direct and indirect costs. You would think with all that money one could pay off more than a few politicians and stop MLP's!! Politicians have done far worse for far less money.

 

[jay47]

After a rep from the AGD came to speak to my school about organized dentistry's position on MLP's, it occured to me, why even bother with the ADA or AGD or even ASDA??

The rep came to talk to us as an opposition viewpoint to the MLP situations. what i learned was that:
1) the ADA has a huge building in chicago that spends $2 million dollars a day on lobbying 😱
2) the result of that lobby was that they lost to eskimo hygienists and minnisota midlevels.
3) direct quote concering the power of organized dentistry..."we can't really DO anything" :wtf:
4) never work for coporate chain dentistry (this had nothing to do w/ MLPs but it was his strongest arguement)

regardless of how you might feel about MLPs, i was more concered that the powers that be, have no power at all. that led me to ASDA. outside of fundraising and guest lecturers, i dont see too much going on there either.

so why be a part of these lobbying organizations???

can someone help me out with the upside here? maybe i'm missing something...

Of course "they" can't do anything, but hopefully the politicians they are catering to can.

 

[mike3kgt]

Are you sure? 730 MILLION dollars a year? That's creeping up on a billion. If this number is true it probably includes direct and indirect costs. You would think with all that money one could pay off more than a few politicians and stop MLP's!! Politicians have done far worse for far less money.

Well, when you have one hand in the pocket of your constituents and the other in the pocket of delta dental, you've got quite a financial base.

I think this number is probably not accurate, however. They do publish their annual income and operating expenses, so a little legwork and you can probably find exactly what the expense is.

 

[dentalman]

The argument that everyone must join organized dentistry is straightforward: So that when they are lobbying, dentists have one voice. The ADA helps with little victories and big victories. To think that any lobbying group has complete control is silly. But we still need some voice in government that represents us, or else things can get out of hand quickly. (Imagine if there was no lobbying, the legislature just did what they think based on no input from dentists.) If the ADA only represents 50% of dentists, it is not as strong of a voice. So, being part of organized dentistry isn't so much for one year, it is more for the long term. If you are retiring next year, then I understand, although at that point you would understand how blessed you have been with your career in dentistry. But if you planning to have a career in it, you need to be proactive.

 

[DrJeff]

Are you sure? 730 MILLION dollars a year? That's creeping up on a billion. If this number is true it probably includes direct and indirect costs. You would think with all that money one could pay off more than a few politicians and stop MLP's!! Politicians have done far worse for far less money.

It's NOT 2 million a day by any means, considering that the ADA annual budget is about 115 million!

 

[Envision]

The argument that everyone must join organized dentistry is straightforward: So that when they are lobbying, dentists have one voice. The ADA helps with little victories and big victories. To think that any lobbying group has complete control is silly. But we still need some voice in government that represents us, or else things can get out of hand quickly. (Imagine if there was no lobbying, the legislature just did what they think based on no input from dentists.) If the ADA only represents 50% of dentists, it is not as strong of a voice. So, being part of organized dentistry isn't so much for one year, it is more for the long term. If you are retiring next year, then I understand, although at that point you would understand how blessed you have been with your career in dentistry. But if you planning to have a career in it, you need to be proactive.

Wise man. An example of this is the AMA. The AMA represents around 20% of medical doctors. So when it comes time to lobby, they do not have a cohesive voice. The ADA, IMHO, is the best health care union out there, representing nearly 80% of all dentist and does a great job of protecting our great profession autonomy and exclusivity. Of course, our profession is evolving, what with advance hygienist/dental therapist, corporate dentistry, and group practices. However, they are our last and only line of defense. Without them, our profession will quickly join our other medical brethren.

 

[The Hammer]

After a rep from the AGD came to speak to my school about organized dentistry's position on MLP's, it occured to me, why even bother with the ADA or AGD or even ASDA??

The rep came to talk to us as an opposition viewpoint to the MLP situations. what i learned was that:
1) the ADA has a huge building in chicago that spends $2 million dollars a day on lobbying 😱
2) the result of that lobby was that they lost to eskimo hygienists and minnisota midlevels.
3) direct quote concering the power of organized dentistry..."we can't really DO anything"
4) never work for coporate chain dentistry (this had nothing to do w/ MLPs but it was his strongest arguement)

regardless of how you might feel about MLPs, i was more concered that the powers that be, have no power at all. that led me to ASDA. outside of fundraising and guest lecturers, i dont see too much going on there either.

so why be a part of these lobbying organizations???

can someone help me out with the upside here? maybe i'm missing something...

shut yer jello hole little man else me and some of the boys from chicago headquarters will have to come and give you an "attitude adjustment"

 

[Oracle DMD]

shut yer jello hole little man else me and some of the boys from chicago headquarters will have to come and give you an "attitude adjustment"

at least you admit it would take a lot more man than you to take down Chuck Noracle!

 

[The Hammer]

at least you admit it would take a lot more man than you to take down Chuck Noracle!

me and secret agent Kang will find a hole for you in the desert. Right next to Jimmy Hoffa
😀

 

[Oracle DMD]

me and secret agent Kang will find a hole for you in the desert. Right next to Jimmy Hoffa
😀

you and all 140lbs of master kang? 🤣 you're gonna need more than that sir! haha BTW you have a pretty good CCC group.

 

[The Hammer]

you and all 140lbs of master kang? 🤣 you're gonna need more than that sir! haha BTW you have a pretty good CCC group.

"Secret Agent Kang, bring me a Maxium magazine and a Blu-Ray copy of Wild Things! Oh and kill Oracle if you have the time!"

Really? I think I have talked to about 2 of them outside of the sim lab. Who is your ccc?

 

[lemoncurry]

the main reason to join up with ADA/ASDA is, as mentioned previously, to protect our profession from lawyers and politicians. One of the greatest things that dentistry has over medical professions is autonomy, and professional organizations fight tooth and nail to protect that. The more members we have and the more solidarity, the bigger voice we have that becomes more difficult to ignore.

I should get you in touch with our D3 CDA rep. He can give you a motivational speech in favor of pro orgs like you have never heard and you'll wonder why you ever questioned it!

 

[mike3kgt]

I should get you in touch with our D3 CDA rep. He can give you a motivational speech in favor of pro orgs like you have never heard and you'll wonder why you ever questioned it!

A D3? Give me a break... he barely has gotten his hands wet in clinical dentistry.

I was so incredibly & blindly pro organized dentistry in dental school and in many ways I still am but I am more often critical of some decisions they make and that do not represent a large portion of the constituents. It's still the best we've got, but man, get real.