American Student Dental Association Revenue and Competitors

ASDA is the largest national organization solely dedicated to dental student concerns. Structured as a network of local chapters based at each of the 56 U.S. dental schools, ASDA is uniquely geared to respond to the concerns of its members at the local, regional and national levels. Two delegates at each dental school chapter serve as voting members in the ASDA House of Delegates. Their role is to voice the concerns of their constituents to the House of Delegates for action in the form of resolutions. As a result of resolutions passed by the House of Delegates, ASDA publishes policy statements on dozens of issues, including dental education, the rights and fair treatment of dental students, dental research, dental student representation and education financing, among others. ASDA notifies groups or individuals, such as dental school deans, dental associations, state boards of dentistry and lawmakers, of its position on particular issues. In the fall of 2000, five dental schools implemented a controversial curriculum solely accessed through digital video discs (DVDs). After numerous ASDA News articles revealed discontent from participating students, ASDA conducted a national survey to investigate student, administration and faculty opinion at affected schools. Survey results mirrored the negative feedback found in ASDA News articles. ASDA next disseminated the survey results to the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), formerly the AADS, and other interested associations. In 2003, ASDA adopted a policy supporting individual student choice in purchasing either DVD or traditional textbooks in conjunction with the predetermined curriculum at each dental school, and ASDA's Council on Dental Education and Licensure was directed to inform dental school deans of the association's stance on this issue.