{ from the editor } by Douglas Wyckoff, DDS • Editor Time to Roll Up Your Sleeves B


elonging to a group gives a person a place to identify their thoughts and beliefs—what’s important to them. It’s their choice to be active or just


a card-carrying member. Activity can come in different levels from full blown “live and breathe” all the way to just going to a meet- ing or two—maybe even just paying dues. Either way, both avenues allow them to be a part of the group represented, and they’re counted the same in membership numbers.


Membership in professional organizations is a priority to some and less to others. Why? Is it because it gives the person a good feeling to belong to something? Is it because they had some extra funds and decided to spend it on dues? I feel the reasons for being part of these groups is because the member finds VALUE in what they get for their dues—value in benefits they could not get if they were a not a member. Getting what they value drives them to remain a member and support the organization.


When trying to meet membership demands of “value”, we must ask ourselves, “do we all have the same values driving us to be association members?” The quick answer is, “no!” Our association represents different age groups, ethnicities, genders, practice types, geographical regions and other distinctions. With all those variables, each person’s values will be different, but if we want to retain members, we must provide value that reso- nates with each. When we present member- ship to a possible new member, we must be able to provide value to entice them to have no doubt they want to join. We must provide something they cannot get as a non-member.


Generational values vary tremendously. What the Baby Boomer generation values is much different than Millennials. The irony is the decisions we’ve been making and continue, as an association, have primar- ily been made by (and often for) those


6 focus | SEP/OCT 2022 | ISSUE 5


in practice. As our member numbers deplete, that becomes less true. What will this mean for future success of our advocacy at the Capitol? Advocacy is so important to how we all practice. Being able to prove we represent most dentists is key to success on our agenda.


from the older generations—ignoring the membership trends. What are these trends? In 2021, Boomers made up 33 percent of membership but by 2026 will have declined to comprise only 16 percent. Conversely in 2021, Millennials made up 31 percent of membership buy by 2026 will have grown to 43 percent of membership—almost half. Input from the newer generations has been limited and therefore what those generations value is not there for them to want to join. We are hearing from this group that the ADA and subsequently, the MDA, do not have the value or meet the needs of possible new members.


This makes the outlook bleak for member- ship in organized dentistry. Having other options for CE and practitioner needs has driven new membership numbers down, which, in my early years of practice, were in the 70 percent range. Today, membership is at 59 percent market share. Yes, you read that right! It’s estimated if we do not address these trends, by 2032 our membership will be down to 50 percent. We have a storm brewing, heading toward a catastrophe. We must do something, and now!


As a dental organization we always have been able to tout to state and federal legislators in that we represent the majority of the dentists


So, what do we do? How do we get our mem- bership numbers back up? First, we must quit thinking like we always have. We must real- ize what the older generation dentist finds valuable often is not valuable to a younger counterpart. Second, we must ask those non- members what would make being a member important. What do they see as beneficial and a driving force to want to join? This might be painful and difficult to hear, but we must have open minds and ears to listen to what they want. Third, we must take the information we get from asking and put it into action, and we need to do it sooner than later. Dr. Tom Stone, our MDA President, has put together a taskforce to really delve into this issue and to try to produce some solu- tions. I ask all of you to think about issues you see with membership and communicate this to the MDA officers, your trustees, my- self and even MDA staff. Do not just tell us the issues as you see them, but provide what you see as a solution to rectify it.


We have used the saying in dentistry “ignore your teeth and they will go away.” I would apply this with our membership issue: ignore our membership numbers and our associa- tion will go away. We ALL must respond and be an active part of seeing this does not hap- pen. Get out and ask a non-member to join us. If they say no, ask why? Ask what would get them to join and then communicate that to the MDA Board or MDA staff. We all must get busy and tackle this issue head on before it is too late.


Contact Dr. Wyckoff at editor@ modental.org. Refer to additional information on membership trends on page 8 of this issue.


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