ASDA Chapters at Case Western Reserve and Ohio State teamed up to compete in the Advocacy Olympics. Each week in February, members from both schools participated in challenges ranging from letter writing campaigns to designing posters for issues directly impacting dental students.

Over 70 participants learned how advocacy can be accessible, engaging, and approachable. By the end of the month, both schools tied in points earned and decided to split the prize money and trophy.

Stay tuned to find out who wins the Advocacy Olympics in 2027!

This initiative was supported by the Legislative Grassroots Network (LGN) Event Grant. Applications for ASDA’s chapter grants open in Summer 2026. 

During Legislative Action Week (LAW), April 13-17, ASDA members will take action by contacting their lawmakers through ASDA Action, learn about key legislation and motivate their peers to do the same. ASDA challenges districts to band together to see who can submit the most letters; be sure to check Instagram throughout next week to see the latest standings.

Explore the updated ASDA Action site, where members can actively engage with issues directly affecting dental students. Through ASDA Action, members can send letters to legislators, stay informed about bills ASDA supports, opposes or monitors, discover how ASDA collaborates with coalitions to advocate for the future of dentistry and take advantage of free election tools for voter registration, candidate look-up and more.

In early March, a federal district court judge ruled the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) loan repayment plan unconstitutional. A spokesperson from the Department of Education said that the Department is expected to announce further guidance for the 7.5 million borrowers who will need to switch from SAVE to another repayment program. Read more from PBS. ASDA will continue monitoring the situation and keep you informed.

The Trump administration announced it will move the nation’s $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio from the Department of Education to the Treasury Department. As part of the president’s broader plan to close the Department of Education, the first phase of this transition involves the Treasury assuming sole responsibility for collecting defaulted student loans.

According to the interagency agreement, the second and third phases will include the Treasury overseeing the entire student loan portfolio in addition to managing student loan administration and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Full closure of the Department of Education would still require an act of Congress. ASDA will continue to update members on how this transition may affect dental students' ability to finance their education. Read more from NPR.

A new study from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health found that banning community water fluoridation could cost taxpayers up to $40 million. CareQuest’s study affirms that threats to fluoridated water will have detrimental consequences for patients, public oral health outcomes and overall healthcare spending.

ASDA supports fluoride as a safe and effective way to prevent cavities.

Iowa 

Five Republican legislators introduced HF 2395 in the Iowa state legislator. If passed, the bill would prohibit adding fluoride to public water systems. HF 2395 was referred to the Iowa House Health and Human Services committee. A subcommittee meeting to discuss the bill has not yet been scheduled. 

Ohio 

Rep. Levi Dean (R-Xenia) introduced House Bill 182 to ban water fluoridation. In a March 4 Ohio House Natural Resources Committee hearing, supporters of the bill claim that the public should have a choice to drink fluoridated water. More than 70 years of data support fluoride at the recommended levels as both safe and effective in reducing up to 25% of cavities. 

Several states are considering legislation to expand the scope of practice for midlevel dental providers, such as dental therapists and advanced dental therapists, who are trained to perform certain irreversible procedures but do not hold DDS or DMD degrees.

ASDA’s C-2 Policy affirms that only licensed dentists should diagnose patients, plan treatments, perform surgical or irreversible procedures, and prescribe work authorizations and medications.

Recent Updates on Midlevel Providers: