ASDA News

Making the most of my summer as an ADPAC extern

ADPAC externs Elieza Tang, Midwestern-Arizona ’19, and Nancy Mo, Columbia ‘19

After completing my first year of dental school at Midwestern, I was thrilled that we were given a long summer break. I knew that this would be my last “true” summer vacation, so I wanted to make the most of it. I could not think of a better way to spend my summer than serving as one of two Washington D.C. ADPAC externs along with Nancy Mo (Columbia ‘19). It was an unforgettable experience. In just four short weeks, I learned more than I ever expected.  

ADPAC, or the American Dental Political Action Committee, is a bipartisan organization dedicated to educating dentists on legislative issues and supporting political candidates who support issues related to dentistry. ADPAC is one of the nation’s largest medical PACs, and it represents the voice of over 150,000 dentists. The main goal of ADPAC is to advance the dental profession and voice our collective concerns regarding the issues that impact our profession.

Before I started this externship, I thought I knew what to expect. I quickly found that I was wrong. If I had to choose one word to describe this externship, it would be exciting. The first few days of the externship were packed full of legislative events including networking breakfasts, lunches, happy hours and dinners with various members of Congress. By the end of the third day, we each had met more than fifteen congressmen! However, these events were not simply socials meant for us to make idle conversation about the weather or current events. Rather, they were an opportunity to provide authentic commentary about issues that affect us, as dental students and also as future professionals. We had the chance to express our concerns about student debt, midlevel providers and licensure reform.

Having the opportunity to start these important conversations also meant that we, as externs, had to do our homework beforehand to understand each congressman’s political background, the committees they’ve served on and  the bills that they have supported in the past. During these discussions, I realized that congressmen sincerely enjoy hearing from students because we are the faces of the future. It is our professional duty to work towards advancing our profession, whether that means staying informed and educated about issues, registering to vote or even attending National Lobby Days.

Outside of attending fundraising and legislative events, we had the opportunity to attend the ADPAC Board meeting in Annapolis, Maryland, as well as the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Attending the ADPAC Board meeting was, without a doubt, one of the highlights of my time in Washington D.C. There, I was able to work with with dentists from all over the country who inspired me with their strong passion and commitment to advocacy. The ADPAC Board members and team truly do work tirelessly for our profession, and I couldn’t have been more proud to be a part of this experience.

At the end of my externship, I was reminded of a question that my professor Dr. Rolf once asked: “What do you think your patients, society and profession will expect of you?” As I related this back to my experience, being an extern pushed me to critically reflect on how I want to advance my profession and better serve my patients. I believe that being a dentist is more than just providing the best level of care for our patients. Being a dentist means also being a leader in your community, advancing your profession and affecting change through policy. Advocacy is the foundation of both the ADA and ASDA, so it is our responsibility as dental students to stay informed about legislation that may impact the way we practice in the future.

To put things into perspective, there are more than 3,000 bills introduced each year that have some type of impact on the field of dentistry. I encourage every student to stay informed, to register to vote and write to their congressman about their concerns. Why stand by waiting for someone else to act when you can take action and make a difference?

Are you interested in making a difference as an ASDA national leader by serving as an extern? Learn more about the position and how you can apply here. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. CST on December 18, 2016, so don’t delay!

~ Elieza Tang, Midwestern-AZ ’19, District 10 Co-Legislative Chair

Elieza Tang

Elieza is a second year dental student at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona. She serves as the ASDA district legislative co-chair for District 10 which, includes Arizona, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and New Mexico. In her free time Elieza enjoys hiking, cooking, playing with her dog Franklin, and practicing yoga.

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