Fellowship in the ADAA.

Long a standard of professional achievement, Fellowship in one of America's healthcare organizations has been a coveted level of professional recognition, a recognized, accepted accomplishment among one's peers.

The American Dental Assistants Association offers the Fellowship category within its membership. And, there are two paths to this goal, clinical and business.

Fellowship, of course, is available only to members and only to those with documented educational achievements.

Thousands of dental assisting professionals have proven their skill and dedication through earning the Certified Dental Assistant or Registered Dental Assistant credential. In addition, ADAA is offering a challenging path to:

* Increased value to your patients and practice

* Enhanced confidence in your dental assisting capabilities

* Public recognition of professional achievement

* Increased professional status

* Satisfaction of increased education

* Enhancement of self-esteem

Doctors take pride in a confident, educated team member. This recognition and its aura of proven skills contributes to in-house marketing efforts, shorter start-up rime for the new employee and reduced staff turnover.

Most importantly, patients benefit from a self-assured, well-educated team member, confident of his or her contribution to the dental team effort.

In order to become a Fellow of the ADAA, a dental assistant must have three consecutive years of ADAA Active Membership. Immediately following enrollment, the ADAA Active Member may begin accruing the 300 hours of continuing education credit required for completion.

Those who have already achieved the status of Certified Dental Assistant are halfway to achieving Fellowship, and will automatically receive 150 hours of credit upon enrolling. Non-CDAs holding Registered Dental Assistant status from a state may apply for RDA credit that could be awarded on a state-by-state basis according to established criteria. These RDA hours can't be credited in addition to CDA hour awards, however.

Upon completing the Fellowship Program, successful applicants will be recognized at ADAA Annual Conferences. National recognition will be provided through the ADAA's professional Journal and press releases. A record of all CE credit hours submitted will be held in ADAA's Fellowship files and as an extra benefit, each enrollee will receive an annual printout of CE submitted to ADAA during the year.

As the profession of dental assisting moves forward, you should move forward too. You should become a Fellow of the American Dental Assistants Association.

ADAA Fellows May Also Earn Mastership in the ADAA

.... the next move in professional achievement for ADAA Fellows.

When you have achieved the level of Fellowship in the ADAA, we urge you to consider the merits and benefits of ADAA Mastership.

Your challenge in approaching Mastership will include the expansion of topics studied for the Fellowship program with an emphasis on the new technology in dentistry.

As with the Fellowship programs, there are benefits for you, for the practice with which you are affiliated and for the dental health care consumer:

* Advanced knowledge leading to increased value to your patients and practice

* Enhanced confidence in your dental assisting capabilities

* Public recognition of professional achievement

* Increased self-esteem

Put your experience and education to the challenge and become part of the ADAA's Mastership program. Experience the satisfaction of achievement. Enroll today!

For your information we are including Fellowship requirements here. A complete credit hour requirement sheet will be enclosed when your application is received.

Fellowship Requirements

1. You may enroll in the Fellowship Program immediately upon joining the ADAA as an Active Member. However, you may not apply for the award until you have been an ADAA member for at least three years (36 consecutive months prior to application for receipt of the award). Students are not eligible to participate in the program.

2. 300 hours of approved continuing education courses and/or activities of which a minimum of 150 hours must be earned in continuing education course credit. Credits accepted for Fellowship are governed by the following policies:

a. Credit is allowed only for approved courses and activities completed within and after the month and year in which the participant enrolls in the ADAA Fellowship Program.

b. Credit hour requirements must be completed prior to application for the Fellowship Award. Credits earned after the completed application is received by the national office may not be applied toward Fellowship.

c. Credit must be earned in specific subject categories as outlined under "Subject Category Requirements."

d. Application for the Fellowship Award must be submitted no later than 10 years after acceptance of enrollment.

3. Must complete 24 credit hours of infection control and medical emergencies courses. Six credit hours from each of these two areas must be taken within 12 months prior to application for the Fellowship Award. If you attend a CPR course please submit a CE slip signed by the sponsor/instructor and list the number of hours attended. A maximum of 12 hours of CPR courses may be used in the P1 Medical Emergencies category. Any additional hours of CPR courses may be used in the Elective category.

4. All applicants accepted for Fellowship are strongly encouraged to attend the Convocation Ceremony at ADAA's Annual Conference to receive their award. If it is not possible for a candidate to attend an Annual Conference, the award can be mailed to the recipient after the award ceremony. The candidate will still be eligible to attend and participate in a Convocation Ceremony within the next five years.

Hours Accepted For Fellowship Credit

1. Scientific Programs or Home Study Courses Sponsored by:

* American Dental Assistants Association

* American Dental Association 

* Academy of General Dentistry 

* Canadian Dental Association 

* Canadian Dental Assistants' Association

* National, state and local organizations related to dentistry

* National specialty organizations recognized by the ADA Council on Dental Education

* Health care providers

2. Course sponsors approved by:

* Dental Assisting National Board (DANB)

* Academy of General Dentistry's Program Approval for Continuing Education (PACE)

* ADA's sponsor approval program (CERP)

3. A minimum of 12 hours of ADAA home study courses is required. Other audio or written self-instructional courses must be provided by approved course sponsors to ensure earned course credit.

4. Participation Courses: To qualify for participation credit hours, the course must be taken with access to a dental and/or laboratory setting providing the facilities and supervision for the completion of each course's participation requirements. "In-Office" courses must be text-based, video-illustrated, require the completion of assigned procedures, and be mentored by a licensed dentist, ADAA Fellow or ADAA Master, or a product/ manufacturer representative. Credit is given on an hour-for-hour basis.

5. Lecture Courses: Credit is given on an hour-for-hour basis.

6. A minimum of 250 Lecture/Participation hours is required for Fellowship credit. If you are eligible for the course credit of 150 hours for being certified or registered, then you are required to have a minimum of only 100 Lecture/Participation hours.

7. ADAA Courses: A minimum of 50 Fellowship hours must be earned for completion of courses provided by national, state or local components of the American Dental Assistants Association, of which 12 credit hours must be ADAA home study courses.

8. Dental Assisting National Board Certification: Fellowship participants who are certified by DANB as a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA), Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA), or Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Assistant (COMSA) are eligible for course credit of 150 hours of the 300-hour Fellowship Requirement. Those certified as a Certified Dental Practice Management Assistant (CDPMA) are eligible for course credit of 100 hours towards clinical or business track. Additional 50 hours to be made up in the Elective Category. Individuals may receive credit for only one designation.

9. State Certification/Registration: Fellowship participants who are certified by an individual state may be eligible for Fellowship course credit. Eligibility is determined on individual state case review with established criteria. Individuals who receive credit for DANB certification as outlined above are not eligible for additional credit through state certification/registration.

Direct all inquiries regarding the ADAA Fellowship and/or Mastership to:

AMERICAN DENTAL ASSISTANTS ASSOCIATION

Div. of Education and Professional Development

Suite 1730, 35 East Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60601-2211

312-541-1550 Ext. 211; Fax [phone]

e-mail: [e-mail]

Natalie Kaweckyj, FADAA, is ADAA's Seventh District Trustee and Vice Chairman of the Council on Education. She is active in local, state and national dental assisting associations and has served as president and director of the Minnesota Dental Assistants Association and the North Suburban (Minneapolis) Dental Assistants Society. Nationally, she was elected secretary in 2002 and is a past director of the ADAA Foundation. She has served on the ADAA Finance and Education Councils and authored the ADAA course on Geriatric Dentistry.