Building a Strong Membership

Two Simple Questions 1) How can I recruit and/or develop members? 2) How can my chapter become an ‘Ideal’ chapter?

What is ASDA?  The American Student Dental Association is a national student-run organization that protects and advances the rights, interests, and welfare of students pursuing a career in dentistry. It introduces students to lifelong participation in organized dentistry and provides services, information, education, representation and advocacy.

Membership  Strong membership is essential to ASDA’s success Largest national organization solely dedicated to dental student concerns 86% membership amongst dental students (~17,000 total members including predentals, associates and international students)  Membership year: Jan 1-Dec 31  ADA student member

Five Types of Membership  Predental: Undergraduate or high school student interested in dentistry ($55 per year)  Predoctoral: Students enrolled in & attending an ADA-accredited US dental school ($72 per year)  Associate: Dentist or professional in a field related to dentistry ($55 per year)  International: Any person interested in dentistry who resides outside the United States ($80 per year)  International Student: Students enrolled in international dental schools outside the US ($85 per year –includes ADA membership)

ASDA Membership Benefits  Discounted NBDE online courses and preparation materials  Access to members-only area of ASDAnet.org  Health, Disability, Auto and Homeowners/Renters Insurance  $50,000 FREE life insurance  New discounted wireless plan with T-Mobile  New discount on Lexi-Comp print and electronic products  ASDA MasterCard  Discounted books, music and DVDs  Leadership opportunities at local and national levels  Networking

The Voice of the American Student Dental Association  ASDA News – Monthly Newsletter  Mouth – Quarterly Journal  Getting Through Dental School Handbook  Guide to Postdoctoral Programs  National Board Reprints  Getting Into Dental School Handbook (for predental members)  New monthly e-newsletter “Word of Mouth” Publications

ADA Student Membership Benefits  Publications: –Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) –ADA News  Practice management and marketing tools  Low-cost student disability insurance coverage  ADA library reference service  ADA Infopaks on career alternatives, associateships, etc.  Financial resources, including publications and scholarships  Success programs for dental students at your school  Much more! Visit

1.Register for FREE $50,000 Life Insurance coverage (coverage doesn’t roll over from year to year; you must re-enroll annually) 2.Get 80% of your school’s students registered for the FREE Life Insurance 3.ADA Insurance Plans will give your ASDA chapter a check for $300 4.Money that your chapter can use for activities! FREE Insurance Benefit

Ways to Recruit Members  Automatic Billing  ADA’s Student Block Grant Program –State societies can be reimbursed $3,000- 5,000 for activities with direct interaction with students –Important for ASDA members to let dental societies know about this reimbursement opportunity –Funding does not go directly to ASDA chapter or school, but offers students an important opportunity to interact with their state societies and offer ideas of how they can collaborate

Membership Recruitment  Recruitment takes place everyday, year round, you just may not know it! –Students learn about ASDA at membership drives –Students experience ASDA & formulate their opinions when events & activities are held –Competing messages for their attention –Brand ASDA events to remind them

Member Recruitment  There are three basic target groups to recruit TAILOR YOUR APPROACH! Active members focus on maintaining their interest in order to keep them active Enable them to lead! Inactive members spark their interest and get them involved Survey them! Non-members show them why they should become members of the organization Especially survey them!

Active Member Retention Active members = involvement and efficiency  Active members generate ideas, get involved and make our activities successful.  They are the most important component in each of our chapters… like YOU and me... without them our chapters cannot thrive.

Inactive Member Recruitment  Convert interested inactive members to active members (20/80 rule) Don’t pressure anyone into becoming more involved than they feel comfortable, some members do not want to get highly involved (and that’s OK!) Advertise (survey) ways for people to become more involved, offering varying degrees of participation & topics! (survey says…) Dental education

Recruitment of Non-members  Communicate the benefits One of the most common reasons why a person won’t join is because they just don’t know (or they forgot!) what the membership benefits are  Add value to membership –Only members eligible for raffle prizes at lunch & learns, vendor fairs, etc. –T-shirts for membership –Charge small fee for non-members to events

Plan:  Be organized! –Work with your leadership team  Be educated! –Know the topics & what ASDA is doing about them –Be able to direct members to the right source (ASDA central office, ADA or somewhere else)  Be enthusiastic! It’s contagious!  Be willing to ask for help! –Communicate with the central office or your District Trustee

Remember…  Advertising ASDA benefits is key to recruiting and retaining members –Be creative to come up with your own local benefits  Actively recruit members from all three groups (active members, inactive & non-members) MEMBERSHIP IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP GIVES OUR ORGANIZATION POWER WITHOUT EXTENSIVE MEMBERSHIP, WE LOSE OUR COLLECTIVE VOICE (person yelling or stadium roar)

My chapter has several motivated members… now what?

Becoming an Ideal ASDA Chapter  The Ideal ASDA Chapter Committee was formed to recognize the achievements and accomplishments of outstanding ASDA chapters

2010 Ideal ASDA Awards Ideal ASDA Chapter Most Improved ASDA Chapter Specific Awards  Outstanding Membership & Communication  Outstanding Involvement with Organized Dentistry  Outstanding Activities  Outstanding Advocacy  Outstanding Fundraising  Outstanding Involvement with Predental Members  Increasing Ethical Awareness  Largest Membership Market Share Increase  Highest Membership Market Share for a Recruited Chapter  Implementation of Automatic Billing System

Questions  ASDA Central Office Danielle Bauer, Chapter Relations Manager (800) , ext 2826 or  Council on Membership Andrea Salazar  District Trustee