Greetings from the American Dental Assistants Association!

Having just returned from the American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA) Annual Session held in conjunction with the ADA Annual Session, I — as well as many of my colleagues — am still bubbling with excitement from the information gleaned through the continuing-education offerings, governance, and professional networking during our time in Orlando. One of the greatest bonuses of such conferences is that they are very satisfying opportunities for getting together with other professionals who care about dental assisting as much as you do.

Our profession of dental assisting is more than a job — it is a community and a culture, but most importantly a career for many. Individuals affiliated with dentistry tend to have a passion about the field and often “talk shop” with one another. Our profession serves society by sharing knowledge among members and creating incentives to combine new information and experiences. The inner workings of the ADAA also help our members to build networks, find opportunities, recruit leadership, and organize around the issues that affect the association and profession as a whole, whether it involves legislation, education, or service.

I tip my hat to Immediate Past President Angela M. Swatts, who led the ADAA into uncharted territory with the launching of e-membership. I encourage any dental assistant who is not currently a member of ADAA to join as an e-member to stay on the cutting edge of information affecting our profession. Many e-members have converted over to active membership to gain even additional benefits.

ADAA cultivates awareness of, interest in, and respect for our profession by providing a variety of services and tools for its members. ADAA is a stepping stone for dental assisting students as they begin their studies in their newfound profession, a lifeline for recent graduates to give them the best foot forward in the profession and encourage them to become active members, and a platform of information exchange for seasoned members who have worked in the industry for some time.

Through membership in the ADAA, you gain access to individuals with "value-added" qualifications in dental assisting that can be an incredible source of advice, links, and references. Networking is the prime source of career information and job leads, and the ADAA provides a tremendous opportunity for networking. For more information on the ADAA, please visit the website at dentalassistant.org.

As they say, "Membership has its privileges."

I welcome into the ADAA leadership Claudia Pohl (CA), president elect; Susan Rexroat (FL), vice president; and Bonnie Marshall (WA), secretary. I also welcome new to the ADAA Board of Trustees: Claudia Gauthier (MA) as 1st District Trustee and Heidi Denson (UT) as 11th District Trustee. I look forward to working with the continuing trustees on the board as we continue to move the ADAA and its membership in a positive and proactive direction ... full steam ahead!

Natalie Kaweckyj, LDA, RF, CDA, CDPMA, COA, COMSA, MADAA, BA
President, American Dental Assistants Association 2010 – 2011