| TennesseeDental Assistants' Association Nashville Dental Assistants' Society |
| THE ADAA AND WHAT IT REPRESENTS by Terri Rollins, RDA, CDA, CDPMA, President/Nashville Dental Assistants Association Secretary/Tennessee Dental Assistants Association ADAA Membership Committee |
As we unfold into the New Year and recuperate from the holiday season, many of us start working on that “New Year’s Resolution” that we made on
January 1st. What was your New Year’s Resolution? I bet over half of you said you were going to start on a diet or get into better shape. Did any of
you say… “I want to enhance my career and get more active in an organization that supports my profession?”
Many of us have been in the field of dentistry for many years. There are many of us just getting started. Regardless of what point of your career that
you are presently in, it is always important to try and better yourself and learn more about the profession you have chosen. There are many different
avenues to enhance one’s career. One excellent way is by belonging to an organization, such as the ADAA, that provides support and continuing
education to people that want to grow in their profession. Being active in such an organization is even more important because you are putting value
behind what you spent so much of your time of learning the skills needed to be in the field of dentistry.
I recently reorganized our local dental assistants group in the Nashville, TN area. What I learned during that process concerned me. As I was doing
my leg work trying to reestablish the district, I was asking a variety of people in the dental field what they could do to help me. I wanted to get
everyone interested in our organization. I asked them to join us. The reaction I got was…this organization is for “dental assistants,” not us. I asked
the Vendors, Dental Labs, other dental staff such as Office Managers and Admin Staff why they felt that way. Every one of them defined a “Dental
Assistant” as being a RDA or CDA that directly assisted the Dentists in the clinical setting. They did not consider themselves Dental Assistants. They
considered themselves “auxiliary” personnel. I will have to admit that Office Managers, Lab techs, Sales Reps, Educators and other dental
professionals are not normally viewed as Dental Assistants. However, I want to change that view. The Clinical Dental Assistant is a very important
part of the team, but so is all the other support staff. It takes Educators to train and educate dental staff. It takes Office Managers and Admin Staff to
help run and support the practice. It takes Lab Techs and Dental Labs to make the necessary dental prosthetics for patients. It takes Dental Sales
Representatives to help supply the dental offices with the necessary dental supplies to keep a practice up and running. The ADAA represents all of
that and more!
The other concern I had while trying to start up our local district is I ran across so much opposition from the RDA’s, CDA’s and other dental staff
about having to pay the amount of money that is required to join our organization. Oh yeah…they will pay to come to our meetings to get their CE’s,
but they won’t pay for the yearly membership and they don’t want to “get involved” either. “Money” and “getting involved” were the two main excuses I
heard as to why not to join. I am aware that most of the dentists will not pay for their RDA’s, CDA’s or any other dental staff to join any organization. I
don’t want people to focus on expense or lack of time or desire to get involved. I want people to think of excuses as to why to join. People should
think of what they can do to better themselves and help others in such a wonderful and ever-changing profession such as dentistry. If you are not a
caring person and don’t want to help other people, then folks…I hate to tell you, but you are in the wrong profession! If you are a caring person and
want to help yourself as well as others to grow in their chosen profession, then the ADAA offers a stepping stone in that direction.
Another issue may be that people just don’t know how to get started or how to get a local group going. I will have to say that I had good people
surrounding me and were willing to help when I reorganized the Nashville, TN District. Our current State President, Karen Castleberry, had an idea of
creating a CD to show people how to get started in organizing local groups. She and I took pictures at our local meetings and came up with different
ideas. She put a wonderful little program together on PowerPoint. It takes the guesswork out of what you need to do to start a local group. Being a
part-time Dental Consultant in addition to being a full-time Office Manager, full-time mother and wife, I have even found time to be active in my local
and state groups.
I am aware of the different organizations that represent different areas of the dental profession. For an example…the American Association of
Dental Office Managers (AADOM) represents the Office Managers. I know there is an organization that represents lab techs called National
Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL). I am sure there are a bunch of different organizations out there. The thing that I feel that the ADAA has
over these other organizations is the fact that the ADAA is much better known. They have been established since the 20’s, which is over 80 years
ago. They also represent all aspects of the dental profession. Again…you do not have to be a RDA or CDA to join. They represent not only the
Clinical Dental Assistant, but the Office/Practice Managers, Receptionist, Educators, Dental Product Sales and Insurance Personnel or anyone
working behind the scenes in the dental field.
One of the main attractions that led me to the ADAA is convenience and more “bang for the buck.” They offer outstanding benefits to their
members. Let me explain…I, as an Office Manager, have the task of scheduling my dentists and staff for their continuing education. It is so much
easier to pick meetings in which the CE’s cater to all branches of dentistry. Most of the time, the dentists I work for will pay for their staff to attend
meetings that are affiliated with theirs and have meetings the same time their meetings are being held. The ADAA has such continuing education
courses in addition to providing $50,000 in professional liability insurance, $2,000 accidental death and dismemberment insurance, discounts on
home study continuing education courses and a subscription to “The Dental Assistant Journal.” They offer additional advantages which include
credit card programs, major medical insurance, group term life insurance and disability income plans that are available in most states. Plus you can
get reduced rates on hotels, rental cars and other travel plans. The best perk of all is you get a chance to meet a lot of different people and it is a lot
of FUN!
I am personally very proud to be an ADAA member and I will continue to do everything I can to educate people on what our organization can do for
them in the dental professional.
January 1st. What was your New Year’s Resolution? I bet over half of you said you were going to start on a diet or get into better shape. Did any of
you say… “I want to enhance my career and get more active in an organization that supports my profession?”
Many of us have been in the field of dentistry for many years. There are many of us just getting started. Regardless of what point of your career that
you are presently in, it is always important to try and better yourself and learn more about the profession you have chosen. There are many different
avenues to enhance one’s career. One excellent way is by belonging to an organization, such as the ADAA, that provides support and continuing
education to people that want to grow in their profession. Being active in such an organization is even more important because you are putting value
behind what you spent so much of your time of learning the skills needed to be in the field of dentistry.
I recently reorganized our local dental assistants group in the Nashville, TN area. What I learned during that process concerned me. As I was doing
my leg work trying to reestablish the district, I was asking a variety of people in the dental field what they could do to help me. I wanted to get
everyone interested in our organization. I asked them to join us. The reaction I got was…this organization is for “dental assistants,” not us. I asked
the Vendors, Dental Labs, other dental staff such as Office Managers and Admin Staff why they felt that way. Every one of them defined a “Dental
Assistant” as being a RDA or CDA that directly assisted the Dentists in the clinical setting. They did not consider themselves Dental Assistants. They
considered themselves “auxiliary” personnel. I will have to admit that Office Managers, Lab techs, Sales Reps, Educators and other dental
professionals are not normally viewed as Dental Assistants. However, I want to change that view. The Clinical Dental Assistant is a very important
part of the team, but so is all the other support staff. It takes Educators to train and educate dental staff. It takes Office Managers and Admin Staff to
help run and support the practice. It takes Lab Techs and Dental Labs to make the necessary dental prosthetics for patients. It takes Dental Sales
Representatives to help supply the dental offices with the necessary dental supplies to keep a practice up and running. The ADAA represents all of
that and more!
The other concern I had while trying to start up our local district is I ran across so much opposition from the RDA’s, CDA’s and other dental staff
about having to pay the amount of money that is required to join our organization. Oh yeah…they will pay to come to our meetings to get their CE’s,
but they won’t pay for the yearly membership and they don’t want to “get involved” either. “Money” and “getting involved” were the two main excuses I
heard as to why not to join. I am aware that most of the dentists will not pay for their RDA’s, CDA’s or any other dental staff to join any organization. I
don’t want people to focus on expense or lack of time or desire to get involved. I want people to think of excuses as to why to join. People should
think of what they can do to better themselves and help others in such a wonderful and ever-changing profession such as dentistry. If you are not a
caring person and don’t want to help other people, then folks…I hate to tell you, but you are in the wrong profession! If you are a caring person and
want to help yourself as well as others to grow in their chosen profession, then the ADAA offers a stepping stone in that direction.
Another issue may be that people just don’t know how to get started or how to get a local group going. I will have to say that I had good people
surrounding me and were willing to help when I reorganized the Nashville, TN District. Our current State President, Karen Castleberry, had an idea of
creating a CD to show people how to get started in organizing local groups. She and I took pictures at our local meetings and came up with different
ideas. She put a wonderful little program together on PowerPoint. It takes the guesswork out of what you need to do to start a local group. Being a
part-time Dental Consultant in addition to being a full-time Office Manager, full-time mother and wife, I have even found time to be active in my local
and state groups.
I am aware of the different organizations that represent different areas of the dental profession. For an example…the American Association of
Dental Office Managers (AADOM) represents the Office Managers. I know there is an organization that represents lab techs called National
Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL). I am sure there are a bunch of different organizations out there. The thing that I feel that the ADAA has
over these other organizations is the fact that the ADAA is much better known. They have been established since the 20’s, which is over 80 years
ago. They also represent all aspects of the dental profession. Again…you do not have to be a RDA or CDA to join. They represent not only the
Clinical Dental Assistant, but the Office/Practice Managers, Receptionist, Educators, Dental Product Sales and Insurance Personnel or anyone
working behind the scenes in the dental field.
One of the main attractions that led me to the ADAA is convenience and more “bang for the buck.” They offer outstanding benefits to their
members. Let me explain…I, as an Office Manager, have the task of scheduling my dentists and staff for their continuing education. It is so much
easier to pick meetings in which the CE’s cater to all branches of dentistry. Most of the time, the dentists I work for will pay for their staff to attend
meetings that are affiliated with theirs and have meetings the same time their meetings are being held. The ADAA has such continuing education
courses in addition to providing $50,000 in professional liability insurance, $2,000 accidental death and dismemberment insurance, discounts on
home study continuing education courses and a subscription to “The Dental Assistant Journal.” They offer additional advantages which include
credit card programs, major medical insurance, group term life insurance and disability income plans that are available in most states. Plus you can
get reduced rates on hotels, rental cars and other travel plans. The best perk of all is you get a chance to meet a lot of different people and it is a lot
of FUN!
I am personally very proud to be an ADAA member and I will continue to do everything I can to educate people on what our organization can do for
them in the dental professional.
| Terri Rollins President and Treasurer |
| Rachel Obptande Vice President and Secretary |
