ADA 2025 HOD Resolution 207 - Representation of Constituents & Periodic Reapportionment of Delegates

Описание: The American Dental Association (ADA), as the national voice for the dental profession, must continually evaluate whether its governance structure supports fiscal responsibility and meets member needs in a changing environment. ADA members expect their dues to be used effectively and ethically. According to the Manual of the House of Delegates, “The House of Delegates, as the legislative and governing body, is the supreme authority in the American Dental Association” (Manual of the House of Delegates, p. 4).

The ADA House of Delegates (HOD), the legislative body of the Association, currently includes 485 voting delegates—a number reflected in the current composition but originally anchored in a target size of 473 discussed in prior governance materials. Delegate allocations are recalculated every four years based on membership data from two years prior (Manual of the House of Delegates, pages 18-20). However, the overall size of the House has remained relatively static despite a more than 25% decline in ADA active membership since 2005, as illustrated in the 2024 Report of the Treasurer, which documents long-term membership trends and market share erosion (p. 6; https://connect.ada.org/governance/ho...)

Professional associations such as the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) allocate delegates based on current active membership, with proportional formulas updated on a regular basis to reflect year-end totals. According to the AMA’s official delegate apportionment memo for 2025, delegate allocation is based on “one delegate apportioned for every 1,000 AMA members, or fraction thereof” using official AMA membership data as of December 31 of the prior year. The AMA House of Delegates Reference Manual (Page 7) further confirms that constituent societies receive delegates “on a proportional basis with one delegate per every 1,000 active AMA members”. Similarly, the AAUP National Delegate Assembly allocates representation using a ratio of one delegate per 250 members (or major fraction thereof), a structure outlined in their governance section: https://www.aaup.org/information-and-...

In keeping with these established peer standards, this resolution proposes that the ADA adopt a delegate allocation ratio of approximately one voting delegate per 700 active members. This approach seeks to modernize House composition, ensure equitable representation, and maintain accessibility while protecting guaranteed representation for smaller constituent societies. To ensure consistency with peer organizations and preserve the integrity of proportional representation, this resolution proposes that delegate allocation be based on active members only. This approach mirrors the American Medical Association’s model, which allocates delegates solely according to active membership totals. Including retired or honorary categories—many of whom no longer pay dues or participate in governance—would distort apportionment and dilute the voice of currently engaged members. Guaranteed minimum representation ensures smaller constituent societies remain protected.

Under the current structure, the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) holds five (5) delegate seats out of 485 total in the ADA House of Delegates—roughly 1% of the body. As this resolution proposes reducing the overall size of the House to better reflect active membership, fixed delegate blocks must also be recalibrated to maintain proportional fairness. Without adjustment, ASDA’s share would more than double in a smaller House, granting disproportionate influence to a non-licensed, non-dues-paying group. To preserve student representation while aligning with equitable governance principles, this resolution proposes that ASDA retain no more than 1.5% of total voting delegates, with a hard cap of five (5) delegates