The
American Dental Association (
ADA) is an American professional association established in 1859 and has more than 152,000 members. Based in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
, the ADA is the world's largest and oldest national dental association and promotes good oral health to the public while representing the dental profession.
The ADA publishes a monthly journal of dental related articles named the
Journal of the American Dental AssociationThe Journal of the American Dental Association, or JADA, is a monthly journal of reliable, peer-reviewed information on dentistry, and is published by the American Dental Association . It is the most widely read publication in dentistry. It is freely available to the public after a one-year...
.
The ADA was founded August 1859, at
Niagara FallsThe Niagara Falls are voluminous waterfalls on the Niagara River, straddling the international border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York...
,
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, by twenty-six dentists who represented various dental societies in the United States.
The
American Dental Association (
ADA) is an American professional association established in 1859 and has more than 152,000 members. Based in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
, the ADA is the world's largest and oldest national dental association and promotes good oral health to the public while representing the dental profession.
The ADA publishes a monthly journal of dental related articles named the
Journal of the American Dental AssociationThe Journal of the American Dental Association, or JADA, is a monthly journal of reliable, peer-reviewed information on dentistry, and is published by the American Dental Association . It is the most widely read publication in dentistry. It is freely available to the public after a one-year...
.
Overview
The ADA was founded August 1859, at
Niagara FallsThe Niagara Falls are voluminous waterfalls on the Niagara River, straddling the international border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York...
,
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, by twenty-six dentists who represented various dental societies in the United States. Today, the ADA has more than 152,000 members, 55 constituent (state-territorial) and 545 component (local) dental societies. It is the largest and oldest national dental association in the world and is dedicated to protecting their financial interests.
The Association has more than 400 employees at its headquarters in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
and its office in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
The Paffenbarger Research Center (PRC), located on the campus of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland, an agency of the American Dental Association Foundation (ADAF) and a Department of the Division of Science. PRC scientists conduct basic and applied studies in clinical research, dental chemistry, polymer chemistry and cariology, and are the crown jewels of the ADA.
The ADA established rigorous guidelines for testing and advertising of dental products and the first ADA Seal of Acceptance was awarded in 1931. Today, about 350 manufacturers participate in the voluntary program and more than 1300 products have received the Seal of Acceptance.
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 House of Delegates, the legislative body of the Association, is composed of 460 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.
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,
endodonticsEndodontics, from the Greek endo and odons , is one of the nine specialties of dentistry recognized by the American Dental Association, and deals with the tooth pulp and the tissues surrounding the root of a tooth...
, oral and maxillofacial pathology,
oral and maxillofacial surgeryOral and maxillofacial surgery is surgery to correct a wide spectrum of diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region...
,
orthodonticsOrthodontics is a specialty of dentistry that is concerned with the study and treatment of malocclusions , which may be a result of tooth irregularity, disproportionate jaw relationships, or both...
and dentofacial orthopedics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics,
prosthodonticsProsthodontics is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons...
, and oral and maxillofacial
radiologyRadiology is the branch or specialty of medicine that deals with the study and application of imaging technology like x-ray and radiation to diagnosing and treating disease....
.
The ADA library has an extensive collection of dental literature with approximately 33,000 books and 17,500 bound journal volumes. The ADA library also subscribes to more than 600 journal titles.
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.
Advocacy
The ADA advocates several positions to legislators in the U.S. Congress. Its agenda includes funding dental research into the safety and effectiveness of amalgam and fluoride, supporting student loans and residency programs for future dentists, increased dental coverage from
Medicaid Medicaid is the United States health program for eligible individuals and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the states and federal government, and is managed by the states. Among the groups of people served by Medicaid are certain...
and S-CHIP programs, reducing dental costs through reform of insurance and medical liability and through health information technology, and improving public health through water fluoridation, tobacco control, and disaster planning and response.
In November 2006, the ADA began recommending to parents that infants from 0 through 12 months of age have their
formulaIn mathematics and other sciences, a formula In mathematics and other sciences, a formula In mathematics and other sciences, a formula (plural: formulas or formulaeis a concise way of expressing information symbolically (as in a mathematical or chemical formula), or a general relationship between...
prepared with water that is fluoride-free or contains low levels of fluoride to reduce the risk of fluorosis.
Significant events
- 1840: First dental college, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery
The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, , is the birthplace of the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree , and is known as the first dental college in the world.- History :...
; The American Society of Dental SurgeonsThe American Society of Dental Surgeons was the first national dental organization formed in the United States of America. The formation of the ASDS was preceded by the formation of the Society of Dental Surgeons of the City and State of New York when fifteen dentists came together in New York...
(ASDS) is established.
- 1845: American Society of Dental Surgeons ask members to sign a mandatory pledge promising not to use mercury
Mercury , also called quicksilver or hydrargyrum , is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80...
amalgam fillingsDental Amalgam is the most commonly used dental restorative material used for dental fillings. First introduced in France in the early 1800s, it contains a mixture of mercury with at least one other metal. Amalgam has been the restorative method of choice for many years due to its low cost, ease of...
.
- 1856: American Society of Dental Surgeons, because of its stance against dental amalgam, is disbanded in 1856 due to loss of membership.
- 1859: Twenty-six dentists meet in Niagara Falls, New York to form a professional society.
- 1860: First ADA constitution and bylaws are adopted.
- 1897: ADA merges with the Southern Dental Association to form the National Dental Association (NDA).
- 1908: NDA publishes the first patient dental education pamphlet.
- 1913: NDA adopts a new constitution and bylaws, establishing the House of Delegates and Board of Trustees.
- 1913: The Journal of the National Dental Association is first published under the title, Bulletin of the National Dental Association
- 1922: NDA is renamed the American Dental Association (ADA).
- 1928: ADA affiliates with the NBS; National Board of Dental Examiners is established.
- 1930: Council of Dental Therapeutics established to oversee the evaluation of dental products. The Council establishes the ADA's Seal Program.
- 1931: First ADA Seal of Approval awarded; ADA headquarters located on north side of Chicago.
- 1936: ADA Council on Dental Education is formed.
- 1948: The National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) is established (since renamed the NIDCR (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research)).
- 1950: ADA works with Congress to proclaim February 6 as National Children's Dental Health Day; ADA endorses fluoridation.
- 1964: ADA produces the first color television Public Service Announcement by a non-profit health agency; ADA establishes the ADA Health Foundation, a501 (c)(3) non-profit organization for the purpose of engaging in dental health research and educational programs.
- 1970: ADA News is first published.
- 1978: Council on Dental Practice established.
- 1979: The Commission on Dental Accreditation established.
- 1987: ADA Commission on the Young Professional is formed (later becomes the Committee on the New Dentist).
- 1991: First woman ADA president, Dr. Geraldine Morrow.
- 1995: ADA Web site, ADA ONLINE, created (later becomes ADA.org)
- 2002: First minority ADA president, Dr. Eugene Sekiguchi.
- 2003: First “Give Kids a Smile” day held as part of National Children’s Dental Health Month.
See also
- Amalgam (dentistry)
Dental Amalgam is the most commonly used dental restorative material used for dental fillings. First introduced in France in the early 1800s, it contains a mixture of mercury with at least one other metal. Amalgam has been the restorative method of choice for many years due to its low cost, ease of...
- American Society of Dental Surgeons
The American Society of Dental Surgeons was the first national dental organization formed in the United States of America. The formation of the ASDS was preceded by the formation of the Society of Dental Surgeons of the City and State of New York when fifteen dentists came together in New York...
(ASDS)
- Dentistry
Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the soft and hard tissues of the jaw , the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is a part of stomatology...