What is organized dentistry? How the ADA and MDA work

“Organized dentistry” is a phrase dentists use for the societies that represent the profession. This post explains the structure using pages from the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Missouri Dental Association (MDA). It describes how the system is built. It does not argue for or against joining.

What does organized dentistry mean?

It means the dental societies that speak and act for dentists as a group. In the United States these societies work at three levels: local, state and national. The ADA calls itself the body “representing dentists nationwide.” The American Dental Association is the national level of organized dentistry.

The MDA explains the three levels this way: the ADA (national), the MDA (state) and a component dental society (local). In dental language, the state level is a constituent society.

What is tripartite membership?

Tripartite means three parts. The MDA states that the three levels maintain a tripartite membership system. It explains that “membership must be paid at all three levels to be a member.” The MDA adds that “dentists receive benefits at all three levels.”

The MDA says each member pays at each level, and that there are categories that allow reductions. Examples include dentists new to practice, dentists retiring, dentists with temporary financial difficulty and graduate students. It also says membership is free to dental students. Check the MDA page for current categories and dues, since those change.

Who governs the ADA?

The ADA names two main bodies. It says: “The American Dental Association’s legislative body is its House of Delegates; the Association’s managing body is its Board of Trustees.” The councils of the ADA “serve as policy recommending agencies relative to their specific areas of expertise.”

The table below shows how the ADA describes its parts.

How does the House of Delegates work?

The ADA calls the House of Delegates “the supreme authority guiding the American Dental Association.” It says the House “speaks for our 152,000+ dentist members and for the dental profession throughout the U.S.” Members “are chosen by the 53 constituent societies, the five federal dental services and the American Student Dental Association.”

The House meets once a year during the ADA Annual Meeting, usually held in October. The officers are the Speaker and the Secretary. The ADA posts the House’s actions, reports, resolutions and supporting documents on its governance pages, so any reader can see what was discussed.

The House of Delegates ties the national level to the state level. Because constituent societies choose delegates, a state society is the link between its members and the ADA’s legislative body.

What do councils and committees do?

The ADA says it has 10 councils. Most are made up of one member from each of the 17 trustee districts, plus one new dentist member. All council members must be active, life or retired members in good standing, and most councils meet twice a year.

The New Dentist Committee is a standing committee. It has 17 members, one from each ADA district. The ADA says it “advocates for new dentists by conveying their needs to ADA leadership” and recognizes peers through the ADA 10 Under 10 Award. The committee also works with students through the ADA Success Program.

The ADA also lists advocacy tools, such as a way for members to contact Washington, D.C. on issues for patients and the profession. See the glossary entries on dental advocacy and the code of ethics for related terms.

What can a reader see in the open?

The ADA’s governance page gives access to house resolutions, board and annual reports, and candidate information. It also lists the current rules of governance and organization, which it says were updated in 2026, along with meeting summaries and dates for councils, committees and commissions. A reader who wants to see how decisions are made can start there and read the documents themselves.

What membership categories does the MDA describe?

The MDA’s page lists several categories beyond full active membership. It names retired membership and retired life membership. It says life membership “is available to a member who has been a member of the tripartite for 30 consecutive years or 40 total years, and is a member in good standing.”

The MDA also states that renewal statements are sent to members in November and are due January 1. These details come from one MDA page and can change. For a current list of categories and dues, use the MDA page, not this post.

Where can a reader learn more?

Start with the organized dentistry guide, which covers the topic in depth. The post on the ADA House of Delegates and the post on the ADA Code of Ethics go further on two parts. For a Missouri view, the glossary has an entry for the Missouri Dental Association.

Next step

Read the organized dentistry guide for the full picture. Dr. Jon Copeland, DDS, a general dentist in Wildwood, Missouri, is a past president of the Missouri Dental Association. To ask about consulting, contact Dr. Copeland about consulting.