Membership Matters
New Resource Center for Components : The Tripartite ’ s Tangible Advantage
by Jessica S . Forte , Component Relations Manager
A component is defined as any smaller , self-contained part of a larger entity . Pennsylvania ’ s district and local societies ( i . e . Fourth District Dental Society , Erie County Dental Society ) are considered components of PDA . Components are an important piece of the tripartite membership structure , providing outreach , education and camaraderie at the local level . Components often bring a tangible aspect to membership in organized dentistry because they are closer to home , in your community , in your neighborhood . Only a small percentage of PDA ’ s components have paid staff , meaning the majority of these organizations are strictly volunteer driven . These volunteers are the unsung heroes of the dental profession . They donate their time to plan a CE course just around the corner from you , negotiate discount programs for you and meet regularly to brainstorm on how they can better serve you . As part of its Component Relations Outreach Program ( CROP ), PDA has launched a Component Resource Center on our website to assist the selfless volunteers in more than 50 component societies . This membersonly area , www . padental . org / crc , provides a wealth of outreach tools , recruitment and retention ideas and helpful samples for component leaders . A portion of the resources available are highlighted here : www . padental . org / crc
District / Local Presentations PDA offers more than 10 different programs available for your next local meeting ! The majority of these presentations are free of charge and some even include CE credits . PDA requires a minimum of 30 days notice to present at your district and local meeting . For a list of available presentations , please visit the Component Resource Center at www . padental . org / crc .
Private Group on The PDA Social Network Each district and local society has the opportunity to have its own “ Group ” on the social network . Groups are linked back to the PDA member database , so only your local society members will be included in the group . Some advantages of private groups are :
• The ability to mass e-mail all of your members ( with current e-mail addresses ) through one main customizable e-mail address , for example : samplesociety @ community . padental . org .
• Discussion forums where your members can communicate with one another on specific local issues .
• A private library , for posting meeting materials or other resources for your members .
• A group directory showing a complete listing of group members .
To set up your society ’ s group , please contact Jessica Forte at ( 800 ) 223-0016 , ext . 134 , or jsf @ padental . org . Jessica can get you started via phone call , an online webinar or by visiting you in person .
Event Resource Center If you are planning a meeting , CE course or social event , the event resource center provides you with a guide to planning the event , as well as a plethora of templates and other resources for you to use . Visit www . padental . org / crc to download these resources .
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November / December 2010 • Pennsylvania Dental Journal
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