We would like to introduce you to the American Dental Assistants Association. The ADAA is over 75 years old and we like to think of ourselves as "The People Who Make Dental Assisting a Profession".
History tells us that Doctor C. Edmund Kells is credited with hiring the first dental assistant, then known as "Lady in Attendance" in the late 1880�s. These "Ladies in Attendance" were needed so that respectable women wouldn�t hesitate to seek out the services of a dentist�all of whom were men in the 1800�s. From that point on, many local study clubs of dental assistants were formed and some even expanded to a state level. In 1924, Juliette A. Southard, a New York dental assisting professional, pulled it all together and formed the American Dental Assistants Association.
At this time, ADAA has over 15,000 members nationally and boasts over 180 local and state organizations. In addition to our bimonthly magazine, The Dental Assistant that is as old as the ADAA, we offer a wide variety of continuing education courses for home study, local, state and regional continuing education seminars and national known speakers at our annual conference every year.
Are you a graduate of a school accredited by the American Dental Association? ADAA started the accreditation process and turned it over to the ADA in later years. We also created the Certified Dental Assistant credential under the auspices of the ADAA Certifying Board and later turned this function over to the independent agency known as the Dental Assisting National Board. In 1999, ADAA inducted its first fellows into our national Fellowship program and members are already working toward their Mastership status.
In 1978, the first Dental Assistant Recognition Week was observed in conjunction with the American Dental Association. This annual activity is now shared with the Canadian Dental Assistants Association and the Canadian Dental Association making it a truly international celebration.
With all these firsts and foremosts, it�s easy to see why we consider ourselves "the people who make dental assisting a profession" and we would be delighted to include you as one of our newest professionals. There�s a place for you in the American Dental Assistants Association whether you are a chairside assistant � general or specialty, business office assistant, laboratory assistant, dental sales representative, insurance personnel, educator, or student. We represent people just like you who want to grow as professionals with a dynamic organization in a growing field. Our members are dental care professionals who understand your professional and job related challenges.
Because we exist only to work in building the careers of Dental Assistants we have developed some of the best programs in the field to help with your continuing education, personal finances, and professional respect. We have group insurance programs available to you such as professional liability for only $10 each and group medical policies including eye and prescription needs. Only 48% of all professional associations offer these benefits. We offer a credit card not only for our full professional members, but student members as well may apply�only 14% of all associations offer credit cards. Scholarship assistance? We have it and only 19% of other associations do.
We know there are probably about 200,000 dental assistants nationally and that there is a shortage of assistants. Think how much more we can do for you when we represent every professional Dental Assistant. The voice of the Dental Assistant will mean so much more if you�ll add your voice.
See our on-line application to join "The People Who Make Dental Assisting a Profession"! Log on to www.dentalassistant.org for the application or for more information.
