MEMBERSHIP GROWTH & OUTREACH
2018 ADA Engagement Program Summary
The ADA Engagement Program allows societies to
apply for grant funding to conduct new programs that
aid in membership recruitment and retention, with a
focus on dental students, residents and new dentists.
In 2018, ADA’s Engagement Program funded the
National Signing Day lunch event at the University of
Pennsylvania.
Aiming to increase senior attendance at the lunch
event, PDA raffled three gift cards, created a special
geofilter on the popular app, Snapchat and provided a
hearty lunch. The Snapchat filter was a simple, fun way
for students to take pictures during the event with a
filter noting they are attending ADA National Signing
Day, which we hoped would increase awareness and
attract more attendees. Thanks to ADA’s support of
Penn’s National Signing Day, we exceeded our goal of
50 percent participation at the event. PDA collected a
total of 90 applications from Penn seniors during the
National Signing Day campaign.
New Dentist Survey
In February 2018, the Membership Committee emailed
a survey link to members who graduated from dental
school within the last 15 years. Approximately 24% of new
dentists who received the email completed the survey.
A breakdown is below (participants were able to
select more than one opportunity):
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The survey also revealed that new dentists have
an interest in micro-volunteering opportunities,
or volunteer opportunities with minimal
time commitment or a short-term obligation.
Approximately 65% of participants indicated
interest in at least one micro-volunteering
opportunity. Of the participants who indicated
interest, over 60% selected multiple opportunities.
Participants rated the top two most important
benefits as assistance with complying with laws
and regulations and advocacy. The top two benefits
that motivated members to initially join include
networking opportunities and information and
updates. Over 66% of participants indicated they have
discussed these member benefits with their peers.