Missouri Dental Students Attend ASDA Meeting


Following are reports from student delegates who attended the 2020 American Student Dental Association (ASDA) annual session, March 4-7 in St. Louis. Annual Session is the official gathering of the ASDA House of Delegates. Each year the MDA provides reimbursement to offset the cost of sending one ASDA representative from each Missouri dental school.


by ALYSSA KIESCHNICK, UMKC SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY, CLASS OF 2021 T


his year, the ASDA Annual Ses- sion was hosted right here in our


ASDA District in the lovely city of St. Louis. The quick trip across the state is something that I have done many times, but this trip was definitely spe- cial. Meeting with hundreds of dental students who all want to increase their knowledge and skills sur- rounding organized dentistry always creates an atmosphere of growth and development unlike anything else I have ever experienced. Enjoying this experience as a D3 student gave me a greater appreciation of what the “real-world” will be like when I am a practicing dentist. The resources that are available to us through organized dentistry are so worthwhile, and Annual Session is a great example of that. Through the mul- titude of breakout sessions involving practice management, wellness and licensure, I feel as if I have a better understanding of what is to come and how organizations like the ADA and MDA will assist me in my success of becoming a dentist. I sincerely appreciate the opportu- nity to attend this conference. I truly believe conferences like it are a key reason I excel as a student and will as a practicing dentist.


UMKC ASDA attendees Dylan Weber, Heather Moore, Kika Masunaga, Micayla Shrimpton, Alyssa Kieschnick, Andrew White, Brianne Schmiegelow


by TAYLOR LITTLE, ATSU MISSOURI SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY & ORAL HEALTH, CLASS OF 2021 A


nnual Session has always been my favorite ASDA conference to attend. It is the time where we vote on initiatives and elect new leaders who will focus the direc- tion of our organization for the next year. This year was the first time that Annual Ses- sion was not only held in District 8, but also in my hometown of St. Louis. I was thrilled to experience my favorite conference in the comfort of my hometown and to share the experience with my peers from all over the country. This year did not disappoint and might have been my favorite Annual Session yet. Through vigorous fundraising initiatives and generous sponsorships (including MDA), we were able to send more of our chapter members to Annual Session than ever before. Additionally, half of the members attending were first-year students. This was an invaluable experience as they were able to get involved at such an early stage of their dental school education. I also attended Annual Session as a first-year student, which shaped my path as a leader in a tremendous way. From my time as a first-year dental student, to chapter Vice President, to chapter President, Annual Session 2020 came full circle. During the Gold Crown Award ceremony, I was awarded District 8 Delegate of the Year—an unexpected honor that truly complemented my commitment to ASDA and organized dentistry. I am grateful for the op- portunity to serve in any capacity, and I greatly look forward to what the future of organized dentistry holds for my career.


28 focus | JUL/AUG 2020 | ISSUE 4


Celebrating a year of savings with TDSC


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n May, the MDA celebrated its one- year anniversary of its affiliation with The Dentists Supply Company (TDSC), a partnership that offers exclusive savings on dental supplies as a member benefit. In that time, many MDA members who have transitioned their supply purchases to TDSC have saved more on supplies than they pay in annual dues. While savings vary by product, practices of every size are consistently seeing an average savings of 20 percent compared to manufacturers’ suggested retail prices on a broad selection of dental supplies and small equipment. To commemorate this milestone in our partnership, we’re recognizing some “top 5” … in brands and products over the last year, as well as things to know:


5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TDSC


TDSC’s 24/7 site offers a different way to shop for dental supplies—one that benefits member dentist, including: 1) Founded by dentists for dentists; 2) Free benefit to tripartite members; 3) Products from more than 350 manufacturers sold through TDSC; 4) Offers consistent, competitive pricing regardless of practice size; and, 5) Every single product comes from autho- rized sources.


5 BESTSELLING CATEGORIES


MDA shoppers have access to a wide selection of supplies and small equipment on TDSC.com. The bestselling product cat- egories include: 1) Adhesive Materials and Accessories; 2) Cosmetic Dentistry Prod- ucts; 3) Infection Control; 4) Preventives; and 5) Impression Materials/Accessories.


5 FAVORITE BRANDS


Members benefit from a wide range of pop- ular brand-name favorites and alternative brands. And as TDSC’s price comparison studies¹ have shown, practices don’t have to sacrifice the supplies they love or the


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