What It Is: National Signing Day gives fourth year dental students the opportunity to convert their student membership into a tripartite membership and continue to enjoy all the benefits of their state association, ADA and local dental society. So no matter what your plans are after graduation – to practice in Missouri or another state – we still need you to complete the easy online application.

Where It Is: MDA will be holding a national signing day event at both UMKC-SOD and ATSU-MOSDOH, making it convenient for each dental student to convert their membership.

• Members Only Access: Get access to Members Only areas of MDA and ADA websites.
• Insurance: A complete array of products and services including board exam policies and health, life, disability, home and auto insurance for students and their families, all from the MDA subsidiary, Missouri Dental Insurance Services (MDIS).
• Scholarships: Available each year from the MDA Foundation.
• Food for Thought: Guest speakers and free lunches.
• Student Delegate: Representation at the MDA House of Delegates.
• Free Registration and CE Courses: MDA Continuing Education meetings.
• Communications: MDA magazine and eNewsletter subscriptions.
• Dental Decks: Available in your library to help in board exam preparation.
• New Dentist Committee: Student Liaison serves on the state New Dentist Committee.
• Informational Resources: UMKC Student Membership Matters Brochure, ATSU Student Membership Matters Brochure, Understanding Organized Dentistry

Food For Thought: A speaker and lunch is provided to discuss “real-world” topics that may not be learned in school. Available to all dental students. Food for Thought is graciously sponsored by MDIS. Provided four times each year at UMKC-SOD and ATSU-MOSDOH (twice in St Louis, twice in Kirksville).

Dental Scholarship Program: The MDA Foundation Dental Scholarship Program- awards scholarships each year based upon achievement and need. The scholarship program is an initiative of the MDA Foundation in cooperation with the MDA and MDIS. Click here to learn more and for an application.

Board Exams: MDIS provides lunch for students taking the dental board exams in April/May and MDA/MDIS compiles membership benefit and insurance materials for the dental board candidates.

ASDA Sponsorship: The MDA New Dentist Committee sponsors the MDA student liaison from the UMKC School of Dentistry and A.T. Still University to attend the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) Annual Session or Regional Meeting.

ADA Dental Student Resources: The ADA provides a variety of student and new graduate resources. Click here to visit the ADA Dental Student page.

ASDA Resources: The American Student Dental Association has a newly redesigned website for its members and constituents.  The website also provides information on Career Compass, ASDA’s new career portal offering tools and resources to students graduating dental school. Career Compass will assist graduates in navigating the transition to their first opportunity after dental school. ​

Loan Repayment Inquiries: Visit the MDA Student Debt Resources page for Loan repayment resources.

MoAPD Student Dental Mission Scholarship: The Missouri Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (MoAPD) awards a $750 dental mission scholarship each year to a dental or pre-dental student to help defray the expenses related to travel, accommodations and supplies for a dental mission trip that provides dental care to underserved children living in third world countries. Visit the MoAPD website to read a letter from the scholarship chairman, read the experiences of previous recipients and download an application.