“Each and every day, AGD is fighting for general dentists. Our legislative and advocacy efforts are our strength, and we must use our voice to defend of our profession. Patients trust their general dentists, and our legislators must understand how we contribute to overall health and the roles we play in our communities,” explained Bradley J. Anderson, DDS, MAGD, chair of the Advocacy Fund Committee. “We need our members to lend their support so we can continue to take an active role in issues that are important to our profession.”

The AGD Advocacy Fund supports national and constituency advocacy efforts by providing resources to tackle new matters, such as legislation or legal action affecting the practice of general dentistry. The purpose of the fund is to increase advocacy in the areas of federal legislation and regulation; state legislation and regulation; and organized dentistry and third parties, including insurance companies, manufacturers and advocacy groups. 

The fund is not intended for AGD’s ongoing or annual activities. Instead, it provides AGD and its constituencies with the resources to tackle new matters, such as legislation or legal action affecting the practice of general dentistry. The fund accumulates across budgetary cycles, allowing AGD to act nimbly and substantially when the need arises.

Here are just some of the ways donations to the AGD Advocacy Fund have supported AGD advocacy efforts: 

• The AGD Advocacy Fund supported Massachusetts Ballot Question No. 2 to create a medical loss ratio (MLR) of 83% for dental insurance. Ballot Question No. 2 passed with 72% of the vote and has generated a lot of legislative activity at the state level in 2023, with three states passing some version of MLR legislation.
• The Advocacy Fund helped the Wisconsin AGD secure a contract lobbyist to combat dental therapy in the state and work with Wisconsin legislators to find alternative methods for increasing access to oral healthcare. 
• The Pennsylvania AGD received funds to retain the services of a lobbyist and to respond to a movement in support of unsupervised dental hygiene practice. In doing so, the Pennsylvania AGD worked to increase dentistry’s presence with the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Governor’s Administration. 
• The Maine AGD created an advertising campaign, complete with a filmed commercial, to inform the public and legislators of the importance of general dentistry.

Make a donation online today. 
For questions or more information, please contact AGD Advocacy staff at advocacy@agd.org.