Tripartite Structure

By joining the Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA), members automatically join their local and district societies in their immediate practice areas and ADA. Through this arrangement, members receive services and benefits related to organized dentistry at local/district, state and national levels.

Tripartite membership is mutually supportive. The unity it fosters produces a consistent voice across the country and at the international level. By joining together, fewer activities are duplicated; this allows each society to concentrate on providing the services it performs best and most efficiently.

Association Organization at the National Level

ADA is divided into 16 trustee districts, comprising 54 constituent state and territorial societies, as well as the five federal dental services. With more than 400 members, the ADA House of Delegates comprises elected delegates and alternate delegates, the number of which is based on the number of dentists in each society. Pennsylvania is the Third Trustee District of ADA.

Association Organization at the State Level

A constituent of ADA, PDA is divided into 10 trustee districts.

Association Organization at the District and Local Level

PDA’s 10 districts also are divided into local societies, which meet at least once a year. Each district elects one representative as a voting member of the Board of Trustees. District and local dental societies have their own unique mixes of member benefits, which may include peer review/patient relations mediation, continuing education, general membership meetings, public relations and newsletters.