Board Roles

Powers of the Board of Trustees

All monies received by the Association are disbursed under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, subject to a majority vote of the House of Delegates. No money shall be accepted by the Association except by the action of the Board of Trustees.

In addition, the Board has the following powers:

  1. To establish rules and regulations to govern its organization, procedure, and conduct.
  2. To remove a member of a Board or an MDA committee upon recommendation of the President.
  3. To elect qualified persons for honorary, affiliate, and associate membership and for honorary awards.
  4. To approve applications for dues waivers following approval by component districts and any other review entity established by the Board.
  5. To establish interim policies when the House is not in session and when such policies are essential to the affairs of the Association, provided that all such policies must be presented for review at the next session of the House of Delegates.
  6. To create committees for the purpose of investigative, planning, and administrative activities not specifically designated in the duties of the standing and special committees.  These committees shall report their findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Board of Trustees.
  7. To amend the budget when it is not in conflict with the policies established by the House, and to present any such amendment for review at the next session of the House of Delegates.
  8. To add or delete delegates to the American Dental Association House of Delegates in the event that the number of delegates changes after delegates have been elected.

Duties of the Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees has the following enumerated duties:

  1. To nominate qualified members of the Association to elective offices.
  2. To provide for the maintenance and supervision of the Central Office and all other property or offices owned or operated by the Association.
  3. To appoint qualified persons to the offices of Executive Director and Editor and to determine their salaries and term of office.
  4. To bond, at the expense of the Association, by a reliable surety company, any officer, member, or employee of the Association entrusted with Association funds for whatever amount deemed necessary.
  5. To provide for an annual audit.
  6. To publish and distribute all official publications of the Association.
  7. To administer the Relief Fund.
  8. To publish the policies adopted by the House of Delegates in the official journal of the Association.
  9. To submit an annual report to the House of Delegates concerning its activities and those of the appointive officers of the Association.
  10. To designate the time and place of the annual scientific session and of the House of Delegates.
  11. To nominate delegates and alternate delegates to the House of Delegates of the American Dental Association.
  12. To fill all vacancies for positions for which the Board has appointive power.
  13. To supervise the administration of the Student Loan Fund.
  14. To perform other duties prescribed in the Bylaws or by the House of Delegates.

In addition to these enumerated duties, it is the duty of the Board of Trustees to do the following:

  1. Supervise the administration of the MDA Endowment and Assistance Fund.
  2. Act in an oversight capacity for MDA subsidiaries.

To find out more about the Board of Trustees, view the Candidate Packet.