Every practice has patients with complex dental needs, every practitioner needs SCDA.
About SCDA
What We Do
Special Care Dentistry Association (SCDA) is a non-profit membership organization of dental professionals dedicated to the oral health and wellbeing for people with complex dental needs. With a history that stretches back to 1937, SCDA is the oldest complex dental care organization.
SCDA is proud to bring together the American Association of Hospital Dentists (AAHD) founded in 1937, the Academy of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities (ADPD) founded in 1952 and the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry (ASGD) founded in 1965.
In 1988, united by compassion and complex dental needs, all three groups joined forces to form the SCDA. SCDA benefits its members – and the patients they serve – by having a united leadership and a broad network.
Members include dentists, dental hygienists and assistants, non-dental healthcare providers, health program administrators, residents, students and hospitals.
SCDA provides educational opportunities and information exchange for oral health care professionals who treat patients with special needs. Members of SCDA have complete access to useful resources, important industry news and exclusive networking and educational events.
SCDA encourages practitioners to earn credentials demonstrating advanced knowledge and expertise in their fields through fellowship programs and through the Diplomate Certification Program.
OUR MISSION
The Special Care Dentistry Association is a resource for oral health care professionals who serve or are interested in serving patients with complex dental care needs.
OUR VISION
To be the leading organization where oral health and other professionals meet, communicate, exchange ideas, and work together to improve oral health for people with complex dental care needs.
If you’re not seeing patients with complex dental needs – rest assured, you will at some point.
Whether it’s a child of one of your practice families that has autism, or faithful long-standing patients that are aging, taking more medications and faced with uncertain medical futures — SCDA can prepare you.