ASDA District 1 members on the steps of the Massachusetts State House
On October 6, 2014, the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) chapter of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) organized the first ever Bay State Student Lobby Day at the Massachusetts State House to advocate for issues impacting dentistry and dental education.
Bay State Student Lobby Day was inspired by GSDM ASDA students who had an interest in advocacy and expressed a need for more legislative events in the Boston area. In the past, the only dental lobbying event in Massachusetts was the Massachusetts Dental Society’s Beacon Hill Lobby Day. This event largely drew attendance from the same small group of students who were actively involved in legislative efforts.
To build a larger group of ASDA legislative advocates for the Bay State Student Lobby Day, the GSDM ASDA students organized a dinner at the Heibert Lounge on October 2, for all interested ASDA District 1 members. During the event, approximately 60 students were briefed on how to speak with legislators, the significance of being actively involved in advocacy, and an overview of the issues currently being considered for this event.
The dinner was sponsored by the Massachusetts Dental Society and featured a keynote address from State Representative Denise Garlick who addressed the importance of open communication between legislators and dental students, especially in acknowledging and extending care for underserved populations such as developmentally disabled patients.
35 ASDA members took what they learned from the dinner to the State House on October 6 to attend a total of 20 meetings with legislators. This was the largest presence of ASDA members in the State House to date.
At the end of the Bay State Student Lobby Day, students reported substantial support from legislators for issues surrounding dental licensure and dental student loan debt. Several legislators requested regular updates on both of these issues once the next legislative session begins in January.
“I am very proud of the students who volunteered to serve as legislative advocates with our state representatives,” said Dean Hutter. He continued, “It is vital that our profession remain visible and vocal with legislators across the country so that they are aware of the issues of concern to dentists and dental students, as well as the scope of underserved populations in need of access to oral health care.”
The next organized lobby events will be the ASDA National Student Lobby Day in Washington, DC, April 13–14, 2015 and the annual Massachusetts Dental Society Beacon Hill Lobby Day on April 15, 2015. Both of these events will serve as opportunities for ASDA members to directly protect and promote the future of the dental profession.
Photos of the October 2 dinner are available on the BU ASDA Facebook Page.