Dues FAQs

Yes! Many members have recouped the cost of membership by participating in FDA Services insurance programs and the FDAS Crown Savings Program. FDA Services offers a full line of competitively priced insurance programs tailored to dental practices. Call 800.877.7597 or visit FDA Services.

Merchants in the FDAS Crown Savings program offer valuable discounts on a variety of programs, including credit cards and credit card processing, discounted dental supplies, electronic claims processing, website development, practice and equipment financing, payroll processing, patient financing, debt collection, patient communications, luxury cars and more. For more information, call 800.877.7597 or visit FDAS Crown Savings.

Yes. Call the FDA toll-free at 800.877.9922 and ask for the Member Relations Team, or send your questions to membership@floridadental.org. FDA office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Yes. To make things easier for you, the statement includes membership for the FDA, ADA and your local district dental association.

You should either have your dues paid in full by Jan. 1 of the current year or be enrolled in our convenient credit card payment plan.

Yes. The FDA will be happy to accept a credit card investment by VISA, MasterCard, Discover or American Express. You can use your credit card three ways: online, payment slip, or by phone. To pay online, simply go to the FDA’s Online Dues and log in. It’s fast, convenient, and safe with our secure website.

To pay by using the bottom section of your dues statement:

1. Choose a payment option on the bottom left of the page
2. Provide your card number, expiration date and signature on the front of your statement
3. Write in the amount of your total investment
4. Mail it in the blue courtesy reply envelope

Phone payments may be made by calling your Member Relations Team at 800.877.9922.

You can set up your membership dues to automatically renew each year by paying this year's dues online and selecting the auto-renew option.

OPTION 1: AUTO-RENEW PAYMENT PLAN

RENEW ONLINE BY JAN. 1 to enroll in the nine-month payment plan (January-September). Your future dues will remain on the nine-month payment plan and will be charged to your credit card on file beginning in January of each new membership year. For example, your current membership will automatically renew beginning January of next year. *After January, auto-renew is only available as the full payment option.

OPTION 2: AUTO-RENEW FULL PAYMENT

With this option, your dues will be processed when submitted and your future dues will be processed every December before the upcoming membership year (January-December). For example, your current membership dues will be charged to your credit card on file in December.

There are several dues-investment options available:

• Payment in full by check or credit card
• Monthly Payment Plan by credit card
• Auto-renew by credit card (monthly payments or in full)

The monthly payment plan is available January to September. Any enrollment received after Jan. 1 will be divided into equal monthly installments to be completed by September. It is the member’s responsibility to notify the FDA of any credit card changes.

You may cancel your payment plan by informing the FDA by a fax or letter that is received before the first day of the month in which a payment is to be processed.

Yes, as an ordinary and necessary business expense. As part of the deficit reduction legislation of 1993, the tax law was changed to prohibit taxpayers from deducting expenses attributable to lobbying. Accordingly, all of your dues are deductible except the amount attributable to lobbying activities. The ADA and FDA lobbying percentages are listed on the front of your dues statement. These are reasonable estimates of the nondeductible percent of your dues attributable to lobbying. Contributions to the Florida Dental Association Foundation are tax-deductible as a charitable gift. The Florida Dental Association Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization. Acknowledgements for foundation gifts through the dues statement will be sent to individuals for tax records.

Your established colleagues recognize the importance of supporting new dentists entering the profession and are subsidizing the cost of membership for recent graduates. As a gift from your colleagues at the FDA, your dues are as follows:

Remainder of graduation year through first full year of practice: FREE.*
Second year in practice: You pay 50% of full dues.
Third year in practice: You pay 100% of full dues.

*If you attended an extended education program/residency immediately following dental school, your reduced dues begin after you complete your extended program, as long as you maintained continuous membership.

The FDA breaks down your statement into individual sections. They are:

American Dental Association
This item represents your ADA membership (the national level).

Florida Dental Association
This represents your FDA membership (the state level).

District Dental Association
This item represents your local dental association membership. There are six district associations in Florida. Remember, membership is three-tiered. That means you belong to your local dental association, the Florida Dental Association and the American Dental Association.

FDA Foundation Emerald Club
The FDA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Florida Dental Association, promoting dental health for all Floridians. Your annual $125 contribution to the Emerald Club is tax deductible and supports charitable programs that improve oral health like the Florida Mission of Mercy, Project: Dentists Care and Donated Dental Services.

ADPAC Basic Membership
This optional payment is used to fund the ADA's Political Action Committee, which helps support the ADA's legislative program. These contributions are used to support pro-dental candidates for the U. S. House of Representatives and Senate.

FDAPAC Century Club
Members of the Century Club provide additional financial support of $150 or more for state campaigns. FDAPAC dues and contributions are not deductible for federal income-tax purposes. Florida law requires political committees to collect the name, mailing address, occupation and employer's name for each individual's contributions, for the FDAPAC Century Club for reporting to the Florida Election Commission. This optional payment is used to fund the FDA's Political Action Committee, and is critical to the FDA and the success of our legislative programs in the state Legislature. Contributions to the FDAPAC help maintain your voice in the Legislature. Without a strong FDAPAC in Tallahassee, legislative decisions that affect your dental practice will be made without organized dentistry's influence.

Alliance of the FDA
The FDA's organization for members' spouses — members are advocates for professional dentistry and oral health. They participate in legislative and educational programs and fundraising activities. Committed to supporting the FDA, they participate in many activities: brochures for the public and schools; sponsoring FDA Dentists' Day on the Hill and the New Dentists Reception at the Florida Dental Convention; and more.

FDAPAC Political Campaign Support
A portion of your FDA dues is transferred to the FDA Political Action Committee. This mandatory item is collected by the FDA and remitted in total to the FDAPAC. Political campaign support through the FDAPAC is important and ensures that dentistry's collective voice is heard. However, if you prefer, you can request the money be retained by the FDA for other membership programs and services instead of being forwarded to the PAC — simply check the appropriate box on the upper-left, back side of your dues statement.

We certainly want to help you continue your membership during this special time in your life — and you may qualify for a partial or full dues waiver for the current membership year if you are not earning an income from the profession. For waiver information, call the Member Relations Team at 800.877.9922.

You are eligible for free FDA and ADA graduate student membership if you are enrolled in an educational program of not less than one academic year in an accredited dental school, or in an internship or residency program approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.