Engage, ASDA’s advocacy action alert system, keeps members informed about key issues affecting dentistry and allows ASDA members to advocate for the profession by voicing their position to their legislators. ASDA Speaker of the House Ryan Twaddle says, “When our days are packed with studying, exams and clinic, [it’s easy] to think the end goal is graduation. However, lawmakers are continuously creating policies that you must follow after graduation.”
Getting involved in advocacy can allow you to shape how those policies affect you. Council on Advocacy Chair Lauren Yap says, “As dental students, it’s important for us to be informed because decisions made today impact our future, our patients and our profession.” ASDA provides Engage as a way to “add our voice to the cause and provide an even stronger impact,” Yap says.
Visit the Engage homepage, and you’ll find advocacy-related developments on the newsfeed. Here, you can learn more about ASDA’s key issues of student debt, licensure and midlevel providers. There are fact sheets, infographics, articles and other resources that help you better understand these issues.
You’ve learned more about the key issues — now check out the current federal and state legislation being monitored by ASDA, bills ranging from scope of practice for dental hygienists, dental therapists, student debt and more. Learn more about each of the bills by exploring the bill summary, date introduced, original sponsors and co-sponsors, latest action (is the bill currently in committee? Moved to a vote?) as well as ASDA’s stance on the bill, and whether ASDA supports it or is monitoring it.
Read more in the February issue of Contour magazine.
Did you know that you could sign up to receive an email whenever the digital issue of Contour is available? Log in to your profile, select “My ASDA” and update your publications preferences.
