Chartered in 1871, the Texas Dental Association (TDA) is the third largest state dental association in the United States with more than 7,700 members. The TDA is the Texas affiliate of the American Dental Association, and is represented by the ADA at the national level. The TDA is itself comprised of 26 component dental societies grouped into four divisions across the state of Texas, which fulfill the Association's mission at the local level.

Member dentists gain access to the latest information and articles of interest through the Association's two publications as well as a listing on the Association's website. The TDA is also devoted to continuing the education of its certified members by sponsoring Continuing Education courses as well as offering financial assistance for dental students through the various scholarships funded by the Texas Dental Association Smiles Foundation. The TDA also strives to educate the public about the importance of good oral hygiene through its educational programs, website and printed material.

Political Action Committee

The TDA achieves its goals and ensures that the interests of its members are met through the oversight and use of DENPAC, its political action committee. DENPAC is a voluntary, non-profit, unincorporated group of dentists whose goal is to influence the election of state candidates who have shown concern for the preservation of dentistry as an independent profession and for the general dental health of the people of Texas. DENPAC exists to help safeguard against counter-productive legislation and to ensure that the TDA has a constant presence in the state capitol.

Publications

The TDA's official publication is the Texas Dental Journal. Published monthly, the Journal has been read by members and non-members alike since 1883, making it the oldest continuously operating dental periodical in the United States and the second oldest publication of its kind in the world. In addition, the TDA also publishes TDA Today, a regularly released newsletter for its members.

Charitable Activities

The TDA conducts a wide variety of charitable activities through the Texas Dental Association Smiles Foundation, an organization established to educate the public about oral health and improve access to dental care for the citizens of Texas. Texas Mission of Mercy (TMOM) is a multi-day event organized by TDA Smiles that brings hundreds of dentists, dental professionals and other volunteers from across Texas together to donate their professional services with the goal of relieving the immediate dental pain of people in need and restoring smiles. TDA Smiles also facilitates participation in the Texas Donated Dental Services (TXDDS) program. TXDDS uses volunteer dentists and labs to provide comprehensive dentistry to qualified individuals who cannot access dental care any other way. The TDA also strongly supports Give Kids A Smile®, an annual nationwide event devoted to treating children in dental need. The program involves over 47,000 dental team volunteers throughout the nation treating almost a half million children in need over the course of a single day in February.