Advocacy Certificate Program

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shutterstock_483826525_AdvocacyASDA advocacy is vital to the protection and welfare of dental students and the dental profession. We want as many students as possible to effectively advocate for dental student issues. 

The Advocacy Certificate Program helps students strengthen and develop their advocacy knowledge. Whether you’re new to advocacy or an expert, the program will help you become a lifelong advocate. 

The program: 
  1. Identifies key advocacy initiatives that will help you become proficient in advocacy. These initiatives include attendance at local advocacy events, lobbying at Capitol Hill, participation in advocacy webinars and contributing advocacy content to ASDA publications.
  2. Awards a certificate and lapel pin to students that have completed the established requirements as listed below. 
  3. Expects members of the program to inspire and mobilize fellow dental students in advocacy initiatives. 
  4. Provides opportunities to network with other certificate recipients and identify strategies to advance ASDA’s advocacy efforts.  
How to participate

The Certificate Program begins at the 2018 ADA Dentist and Student Lobby Day and ends at the 2019 ASDA Annual Session. ASDA members must earn eight points within that time to complete the program. But don’t stop at eight points! The student with the most points will be recognized at the 2019 ASDA Annual Session in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  

Each advocacy initiative has been assigned a point value. Please see below for more information about the events that qualify for points. You must earn points in at least three different categories to be recognized.
 
Initiative categories
Attend 2018 ADA Dentist and Student Lobby Day 
Attend a national advocacy webinar 
Send an Engage Action Alert 
Join ADPAC
Attend a chapter or district advocacy event
Attend an advocacy track at ASDA's National Leadership Conference
Write an advocacy article for Contour or Mouthing Off
Point value
1 point
1 point per webinar
1 point per issue
1 point
1 point per event
1 point

1 point per article 
Points must be submitted by Feb. 1, 2019, to national ASDA. The official Advocacy Score Card, where you can submit your points online, will be available in early December. ASDA will verify your engagement in national initiatives. We are confident you will report local events accurately. 

To help monitor your points throughout the year, download and use the ASDA Advocacy Tracker. Remember to submit your final score on the Advocacy Score Card by the established deadline.
 
Rules and eligibility

Predoctoral members are eligible to participate in the ASDA Advocacy Certificate Program. Students must earn eight points to receive a certificate and pin. 

Current national ASDA leaders are ineligible.

Keep ASDA members updated on your Certificate Program progress by using #ASDAadvocacy on social media. 

Contact Keely O’Sullivan Kurtz, manager of advocacy and policy, with questions.

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