MDA Governance

Overview

The MDA is a state constituent society of the American Dental Association. Missouri is in the Sixth District of the ADA, along with Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. The MDA is governed by the House of Delegates and Board of Trustees.

House of Delegates

The member elected House of Delegates meets annually in early November. It consists of 52 voting members, including delegates from each component and one student from UMKC and ATSU. The House of Delegates provides a forum for the discussion and resolution of issues and for the dissemination of information to its members.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees consists of officers, trustees from each component society, and other members (editor, past president, legislative chair, and new dentist representative). The Board of Trustees sets policies to guide the Association in its directives and in meeting the goals of its applied strategic plan and it meets four times annually.

ADA House of Delegates

As the legislative and governing body of the ADA, the House of Delegates is the supreme authority guiding the American Dental Association. It speaks for our 161,000 dentist members and for the dental profession throughout the U.S. Members of the House of Delegates are chosen by the 53 constituent societies, the five federal dental services and the American Student Dental Association. The House meets once a year during the ADA Annual Meeting, usually held in October. The officers of the House are the Speaker and the Secretary. The Executive Director of the Association serves as Secretary of the House of Delegates.