2004

Kerr & Downs Research

Academy ofGeneral Dentistry

2004

OMRI ReportOrganizational Marketing Research Initiative

Kerr & Downs ResearchProject Director: Phillip E. Downs, Ph.D.2992 Habersham Drive - Tallahassee, FL 32309Phone: (850) 906-3111 Fax: (850) 906-3112

[email protected]

Academy ofGeneral Dentistry

2004

OMRI ReportOrganizational Marketing Research Initiative

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section A Executive Summary & Strategic Recommendations

Section B Member & Nonmember Results

1 Value of Membership11 AGD vs. ADA18 Benefits of Membership28 Professional Concerns32 Interest in New Products & Services44 Publications48 Image55 What Makes AGD Unique60 Continuing Education68 Sources of Continuing Education73 Tracking Continuing Education75 CE Rules & Regulations81 Value of FAGD & MAGD88 Advocacy97 Growth of AGD105 Marketing AGD, General Dentistry, and Dentists to Patients110 AGD Leadership Issues113 Professional Attitudes119 Profile

Section C Annual Meeting Results

1 AGD Annual Meeting Experience6 Changes to Annual Meeting7 Governance9 Topics14 Positioning of Annual Meeting26 Most Critical Attributes of Annual Meeting34 Profile of Attendees & Non-Attendees

Section A

Academy of General Dentistry OMRI 2004/2005 - Kerr & Downs Research 1

OMRI STUDY

Executive Summary

The Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) Organizational Marketing Research Initiative (OMRI) includedtwo major studies:

• A broad-based image and needs assessment study of AGD members and non-members• A study focusing on AGD’s Annual Meeting

Summary results for each study are presented in the Executive Summary. Strategic recommendations basedon research results are also presented in this document.

Member & Non-Member Study

Value of Membership

The value of AGD membership can be summarized as moderate to high. Some findings indicate membersderive high value, while other findings do not. Significant findings are summarized below.

• 93% of members stated that AGD offers day-to-day value• 87% of members claimed there is prestige in belonging to AGD• 65% of members indicated there is value in having an AGD plaque on their office wall• 19% of members said AGD benefits exceed costs; 17% claimed the opposite• 36% of non-members reported that benefits of their association exceeded costs1

• 34% of members gave AGD an 8 or higher on a 10-point scale for return on investment• 42% of non-members gave their most valued association an 8 or higher on a 10-point scale for

return on investment• 61% of members would definitely recommend AGD membership to young general dentists• 52% of non-members would definitely recommend ADA membership and 15% would definitely

recommend AGD membership to young general dentists

Benefits of Membership

Benefits most valued by members during their first five years of practice:

• 77% Tips on running a business• 66% Convenient access to CE• 57% Finding a mentor or coach• 56% Opportunities to meet other dentists to discuss issues• 55% Learning to build a dental team• 51% Techniques for motivating and rewarding staff

1 More often than not, this association was the ADA.


OMRI STUDY

Benefits most valued by experienced members and non-members:

Non-Members Members

74% 73% Convenient access to CE 60% 32% Computerized tracking of CE 58% 69% Tips on running a business 52% 58% Techniques for motivating and rewarding staff 47% 52% Tips for decreasing risk of litigation 46% 60% Learning to comply with government regulations 45% 46% Opportunities to meet other dentists to discuss issues

Most pressing professional problems:

Non-Members Members

38% 28% Finding competent staff 37% 27% Running an efficient and profitable business 33% 22% Third party payment 30% 12% Keeping up with technological changes in clinical

techniques 28% 17% Marketing to fee-for-service patients 19% 16% Motivating and rewarding staff 19% 27% Dealing with patients

AGD Image

• 46% of members thought of AGD as innovative – 38% of non-members felt this way• 83% of members perceived AGD as caring and compassionate in reviewing CE and membership

requirements• 73% of members and 31% of non-members reported that AGD is relevant to general dentists

interested in life-long learning• 65% of members did not think of AGD as an elite study club• 37% of members believed AGD’s product portfolio was too narrow• 58% of members and 48% of non-members perceived AGD as a leader in dental technology• 77% of members viewed AGD as a leader in treatment protocol


OMRI STUDY

Continuing Education

• Most important in selecting continuing education providers:

Non-Members Members

67% 67% Held near by – no air travel 57% 39% Participation courses offered 55% 43% No commercial bias 48% 42% Low cost 54% 47% Big “brand” name speakers 46% 31% Intense, high-level courses

Earning a lot of CEs in one day was more important to non-members

• Most preferred delivery methods for continuing education:

Non-Members Members

85% 80% Local one-day seminars/conferences 70% 50% Hands-on courses 65% 43% Regional two to three day conferences 63% 44% Local one to two hour seminars 57% 40% Local half-day seminars 56% 30% National two to three day conferences

• Most common sources of continuing education:

Non-Members Members

63% 7% AGD 44% 28% ADA 39% 26% Universities

• Attitudes toward Fellowship:

• 64% of members and 27% of non-members perceived FAGD/MAGD as extremely valuable todentists


OMRI STUDY

• 26% of members and 10% of non-members viewed FAGD/MAFGD as extremely valuable topatients

• 46% of members agreed that one should be able to obtain Fellowship through home study andInternet courses

• 72% of members disagreed that one should be able to obtain Fellowship without taking an examina-tion

• 63% of members claimed attending the Fellowship ceremony should be optional• A plurality (47%) of members believed that FAGD/MAGD should be certifications rather than

awards or designations

§ Attitudes toward CE tracking and regulations:

• 26% of members rated AGD’s CE tracking as excellent• 29% agreed they had trouble getting CE credits recorded with AGD• 94% of members agreed that AGD should establish systems so CE hours can be

forwarded seamlessly to AGD from all providers• 54% of members agreed that AGD should accept CE courses taken prior to one’s membership• 59% of members agreed that AGD should give credit for residencies completed prior to AGD

membership• 72% of members and 48% of non-members believed AGD value would decrease if 75-hour

membership requirement were removed• 64% of members agreed that AGD should have 1 set of rules for accepting CE for Fellowship, from

DART, for membership maintenance, from institutes, etc.• 31% of members perceived AGD’s rules for accepting CE for Fellowship as arbitrary and rigid• 41% of members reported that AGD should focus more on meeting general dentists’ professional

needs and less on rules and regulations affecting membership and CE

Advocacy

• 52% of members and 50% of non-members thought AGD should increase advocacy and represen-tation efforts

• 24% of members and 15% of non-members thought AGD should work more independently ofADA on advocacy issues important to general dentists

• 78% of members wanted AGD to focus on state-of-the-art CE, while only 22% wanted it to focusmore on advocacy

• 47% of members thought AGD should enhance its advocacy efforts while continuing to partner withADA

• 75% of members wanted AGD to lobby states to accept licensure by credentials

Attitudes toward Fellowship (continued)


OMRI STUDY

New Products & Services

Percentages of members and non-members who were extremely interested in new products and servicesfrom AGD were as follows:

Non-Members Members

70% 17% Online, interactive CE transcript service 46% NA Boot camp for young dentists 36% NA Online support to assist members in finding ways to fulfill

75-hour membership requirement 34% 22% Online education 32% 24% Training resources for dental staffs 32% 15% Relicensure tracks 31% 22% Online archives of Journal of General Dentistry (favorite

journal for non-members) 28% 19% Business management courses

• 56% of members agreed that AGD should devote resources to creating virtual communities among generaldentists

• 61% of women members reported they would attend AGD’s Annual Meeting more frequently if therewere a track on prospering in dentistry as a woman

• 42% of members maintained that AGD should develop a patients’ bill of rights

Growth Strategies

• 68% of members indicated that AGD should focus only on attracting general dentists who were committedto a requirement of life-long learning

• 61% of members preferred that AGD be positioned as the “go to” resource for general dentists, legisla-tors, and regulators

• 88% of members believed that AGD should have a greater presence in dental schools in an effort toenhance recruiting of young members

• 88% of members agreed that AGD should offer dental students real-life experiences and insight into dentalpractices

• 71% of members agreed that the most effective way of getting dental school students interested in joiningwas to offer them practice management courses and tips

• 62% of members reported they would serve as coaches to younger AGD members• 44% of members would pay a promotional assessment for an Oral Health/AGD Marketing Campaign –

typical contributions ranged from $50 to $100 annually


OMRI STUDY

• 52% of members were willing to serve on an AGD Speakers Bureau• 82% of members were willing to place oral health promotional materials developed by AGD in their

waiting rooms – 49% claimed they would personally distribute materials to patients• 86% of members maintained they actively and consistently discuss the link between oral health and overall

health with their patients

Publications

• 79% of members named the Journal of General Dentistry a “must read”• A plurality of members (42%) wanted the Journal of General Dentistry delivered in print only• 74% of members indicated that AGD Impact was a “must read”• 49% of members preferred that AGD Impact be delivered in online version only

The most valuable journals/publications to members and non-members were:

Non-Members Members

72% 28% Journal of General Dentistry 59% 57% Journal of the American Dental Association 44% 42% Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry 26% 24% Practical Procedures & Aesthetic Dentistry

• 75% of non-members named Dental Town as one of the most valuable publications compared toonly 38% of members

• 74% of members named AGD Impact as one of the most valuable publications compared to only10% of non-members

Leadership

76% of members agreed that AGD staff is responsive to members’ needs56% of members agreed that AGD’s board is responsive to members’ needs – 38% were uncertain

Involvement

• 75% of members rarely if ever get involved with AGD• 75% cited time and distance barriers to involvement• 37% claimed they have never been asked to get involved• 30% reported that AGD leadership is cliquish

Growth Strategies (continued)


OMRI STUDY

Profile

55% of members and 80% of non-members had solo practicesTypical members and non-members had been practicing for 17 and 16 years, respectivelyThe typical member was 44, while the typical non-member was 474 out of 5 members and non-members were male4 out of 5 members and non-members were white

AGD Annual Meeting Study

AGD Annual Meeting Experience

Reasons for attending the Annual Meeting:

• 50% Pursue high quality CE opportunity• 45% Participate in AGD governance• 38% Receive FAGD/MAGD

Preferring to attend meetings closer to home was the number one reason for not attending.

62% of attendees claimed the AGD meeting was better than other meetings.

Key benefits received from the AGD Annual Meeting were:

• 81% High quality CE• 57% Camaraderie and networking• 55% Free lectures• 53% Wide range of CE• 49% Earn credits toward Fellowship

Tactics that will increase attendance included:

• 39% More ½ day lectures• 37% More participation courses• 27% Greater price differentials for members vs. non-members• 26% Discussions on equipment purchases, hiring practice management consultants, buying &

selling practices


OMRI STUDY

Changes that will enhance the Annual Meeting included:

• 34% Repeat popular courses• 25% Offer more free CE• 21% Increase the number and variety of multi-day hands-on courses

Governance

• 49% of attendees felt that governance activities should not be conducted at the Annual Meeting• 48% of attendees claimed the Annual Meeting was too focused on governance – 15% said it was

too focused on family vacations• 27% of attendees would definitely still attend if governance activities were eliminated from the

meeting

Annual Meeting Topics

Demand for courses/topics was significantly segmented. Most popular topics for attendees and non-attendees were:

Beginning Level

Attendees Non-AttendeesOrthodontics OrthodonticsImplants/restorative aspects Dental forensicsDental forensics Implants/restorative aspects

Intermediate Level

Attendees Non-AttendeesMedical emergencies Implants/restorative aspectsEsthetics Health promotion/wellness nutritionOral pathology/oral medicine Oral pathology/oral medicine

Advanced Level

Attendees Non-AttendeesOperative dentistry Health promotion/wellness nutritionEsthetics Restorative dentistryRestorative dentistry Operative dentistry


OMRI STUDY

Incubator tracks in the following areas were most desired:

• Cosmetic Dentistry• Surgical phase of implants• Orthodontia• Anesthesia

Positioning of Annual Meeting

• 42% of attendees and 16% of non-attendees would attend every year if the meeting were targetedto the entire dental team

• 46% of attendees and 42% of non-attendees thought the Annual Meeting should be positioned asCE and a family vacation

• 80% of attendees maintained that AGD should continue to partner with other dental associations forits Annual Meeting

• 70% of attendees believed the Annual Meeting should continue to be held in family-oriented destina-tions

• 76% of attendees indicated that some courses should be free with registration while others shouldrequire a separate fee

• 64% of members, but only 34% of non-attendees preferred national annual meetings over local andregional meetings

• 22% of members agreed that AGD’s Annual Meeting should be held in conjunction with a majorregional meeting

• 54% of attendees agreed that AGD should offer significantly more CE outside the Annual Meeting• 57% of attendees believed there should be less emphasis on governance at the Annual Meeting• 54% of attendees indicated that there should be more emphasis on participation courses• 52% of attendees wanted more CE courses taught by specialists• Attendees preferred the Annual Meeting be held in the summer, while non-attendees preferred

spring and fall dates• 47% of attendees and 45% of non-attendees preferred vacation-oriented cities such as Orlando,

Las Vegas, and New Orleans


OMRI STUDY

Research Methods

Member & Non-Member Study

12 on-site and telephone focus groups with members and non-members1,166 telephone and internet surveys with members311 telephone, internet, and mail surveys with non-members

Annual Meeting Study

2 on-site focus groups with attendees28 on-site in-depth interviews with exhibitors182 internet and telephone surveys with attendees387 internet and telephone interviews with non-attendees


OMRI STUDY

Strategic Implications from the Academy of General Dentistry’sOrganizational Marketing Research Initiative

January, 2005

Introduction

The following strategic recommendations emanate from one-on-one interviews with AGD leadership andstaff, focus groups with members and non-members, and internet and telephone interviews with membersand non-members.

Enhance the Image of General Dentists

The most pressing issue facing AGD is to enhance the image of its general dentist members. An ancillaryelement of this strategy is to enhance the prestige associated with achieving FAGD and MAGD designa-tions.

To finance a promotional campaign designed to enhance the image of general dentist members, a promo-tional assessment of $100 per member should be applied annually. With the $2 to $3 million generated bythis assessment, AGD should hire a marketing/advertising/pubic relations firm to leverage AGD’s promo-tional investment. Details for the promotional campaign should be developed by the firm AGD hires, butshould focus on some of the following:

• Developing collateral materials for dental offices• Generating paid and unpaid media coverage• Creating talking points for AGD’s media representatives• Creating events and partnerships to promote AGD’s name, logo, and tag line

Reposition the Annual Meeting

AGD must energize the Annual Meeting and attract more attendees and exhibitors. The former, of course,will attract the latter. AGD faces two diametrically opposed options:

• Change the meeting to more closely resemble other annual meetings• Tweak the existing model

The following tactical recommendations are more in line with modifying the existing model. Kerr & DownsResearch recommends a course of action that includes some immediate changes that should have impactbased on survey results, and some more drastic changes that can be implemented over time as the organiza-tion prepares itself governmentally and attitudinally for transition.


OMRI STUDY

Immediate issues include the following:

• Stress high quality continuing education – attempt to distinguish AGD’s meeting from other optionsthrough speaker selection, course offerings, and promotional materials.

• Offer a significant amount of free continuing education. A significant competitive challenge is for theAnnual Meeting to be perceived by members and non-members as a cost competitive alternative tothe many other meetings and continuing education options in the market place.

• Continue to offer a wide range of continuing education. The combination of low cost, high quality,and broad offerings will position AGD favorably in the continuing education market. “Brand name”speakers (clinical and non-clinical; dentistry-related and non dentistry-related) will help convincemembers and non-members that AGD is worth the time and money. Partnerships with businessesmust be developed to defray costs of top speakers.

• Increase offerings in short courses (1 to 2 hours and ½ day courses) and participation courses.Also increase offerings in multi-day, hands-on courses.

• Develop 4 basic types of educational tracks:o Business management tracko Clinical education tracko Dental team tracko FAGD/MAGD track

Allow attendees to sign up for tracks during registration. Of course, some courses/seminars willapply to more than 1 track.

• Offer at least the following incubator tracks within the clinical education track:o Cosmetic Dentistryo Surgical phase of implantso Orthodontiao Anesthesia

• Repeat popular courses throughout the meeting.

• Keep positioning the Annual Meeting as a family vacation option, but add social activities for singles/attendees who do not bring their families.

• Select first tier cities for the Annual Meeting and select cities that have not held one of the majordental meetings within a year of AGD’s meeting date. Certain large venues, for example New YorkCity, Los Angeles (not Anaheim or Long Beach), and Chicago can be exceptions to this recommen-dation.

Reposition the Annual Meeting (continued)


OMRI STUDY

• Keep the Annual Meeting in July/August for at least the next 3 to 5 years.

• Market the Annual Meeting aggressively within a 100 mile radius of the venue.

• Enhance networking opportunities:o Work with AGD constituencies to market “local” social gatherings at the Annual Meeting.o Work with regions to market “regional” gatherings at the Annual Meeting.o Develop formal organization and activities at the Annual Meting to make all attendees

(especially first time attendees) feel comfortable and wanted.

• Enhance business opportunities for vendors:o Hold a shorter, more intense trade show – 2 days is sufficient.o Provide and encourage opportunities for vendors to meet with general dentists outside the

regularly scheduled continuing education and trade show hours.o Hold continuing education courses adjacent to the trade show (unlike Anaheim).o Have no overlap between trade show and continuing education program.o Facilitate vendor-sponsored technology demonstrations during the continuing education

program.

• Utilize aggressive and personalized marketing:o Send electronic promotional materials repeatedly to prospects.o Do not send printed brochures unless requested.o Follow-up with telephone calls - have “talking points” available for callers.

Long-term strategic recommendations emanating from OMRI findings include the following:

• Remove all governance activities from the Annual Meeting.

• De-emphasize FAGD/MAGD activities at the Annual Meeting.

• Give the short-term changes three years to have an impact, then if not successful, move the AnnualMeeting to the spring or fall.

Reposition the Annual Meeting (continued)


OMRI STUDY

Assist Members in Running their Businesses

While members have come to expect AGD to provide excellent clinical education, members have moredifficulty with day-to-day issues related to running their practices such as customer service, attracting fee-for-service patients, dealing with third party payers, marketing, human relations, finance, strategic planning,etc. Specific tactics that can help members with these issues and enhance the image of AGD with non-members include the following:

• Provide discounted HR, marketing, finance, etc. expertise.• Develop customer service training modules.• Create a job board for the entire dental team.• Create a purchasing cooperative.• Develop “boot camps” that are positioned as mini MBAs.• Place greater emphasis on practice management issues at the Annual Meeting.• Create a listserver for practice management issues.

Broaden AGD’s Product Portfolio

Create new products, services, and events. Possibilities based on OMRI findings include the following:

• Develop an online interactive CE transcript service.• Start a practice management listserver (also covered elsewhere).• Develop a business management boot camp (also covered elsewhere).• Expand online CE opportunities.• Offer regional CE events in partnership with AGD constituencies.• Offer online support for fulfilling 75-hour membership requirement.• Offer relicensure tracks.• Offer CE tracks for FAGD/MAGD at the Annual Meeting.• Offer incubator tracks at the Annual Meeting (also covered elsewhere).• Offer a Women’s General Dentist Forum.• Develop a new meeting focused entirely on governance.• Develop two new annual 2-day meetings (in the spring and fall) with each focusing on one of the

following:o FAGD/MAGD tracko Incubator tracko Dental team tracko Business management track

In broadening continuing education opportunities, it should be noted that segmentation must be the norm notthe exception. Content, delivery methods, pricing, and promotional tactics should vary based on specificmembership segments’ needs.


OMRI STUDY

Increase AGD’s Presence in Dental Schools

AGD’s long-run viability is dependent upon being more successful in attracting young general dentists. AGDhas several programs such as Fellow Track and mentoring that already reach out to young general dentistsand dental students. Yet focus group discussions consistently revealed a need for AGD to have a greaterpresence in dental schools. Additional efforts to reach out to dental students include the following:

• Establish coaches (experienced AGD members) in dental school towns.• Sponsor events, tables, meetings, socials, etc. on campuses.• Market more aggressively to individual students including emails and printed materials from head-

quarters and telephone calls by local AGD members – there should be at least 1 personal contactwith each graduating dental student every year.

• Offer a boot camp to dental students focusing on issues critical to new general dentists.

Position AGD as the “Go To Resource” for Life-Long Learning for GeneralDentists

Functioning as THE “Go To Resource” involves producing some original educational content, a greateremphasis on being a gatekeeper and facilitator of content, and constant and consistent messaging andcustomer service. Part of this strategy involves image control. This includes reviewing AGD’s logo and tagline to ensure that they are appropriate for the direction and image AGD wishes to pursue.

Second, AGD must establish tight controls over use of the logo and tagline. Each should be used consis-tently and pervasively. All materials including the website, all CE programs, all events including the AnnualMeeting, CE tracking efforts, all listservers, all aspects of the Annual Meeting, all communication with thepublic, member library, all constituents’ websites, all constituents’ materials, etc. should consistently andpervasively utilize AGD’s logo and tag line. A single AGD staff member should be charged with ensuringconsistent and pervasive use of AGD’s logo and tag line.

AGD should play a stronger role in generating “AGD brand” content. This content can be produced byAGD and produced by speakers and companies that partner with AGD.

AGD must not only play a stronger role in developing its own brand of content, but it must also play astronger role as a gatekeeper for dental education content. The ultimate objective is for general dentists toskip Google and go directly to AGD’s website when seeking information.


OMRI STUDY

Change the orientation of rules and regulations for membership and continuingeducation from policing and restrictions to advancing members’ interests

This strategy focuses less on changing actual rules and regulations than changing AGD’s attitude aboutregulations and rules and how they are enforced. For example, the 75-hour membership requirement neednot be removed, but it can be positioned in a manner so that it in essence becomes superfluous. Nearly allgeneral dentists are required by their states to obtain enough continuing education hours annually that willqualify them for AGD membership. Altering AGD’s policeman role can gain goodwill for the associationwhile fostering a continuing education environment.

Specific adjustments to AGD’s rules and regulations include:

• Accepting virtually all continuing education prior to AGD membership for FAGD/MAGD designa-tions.

• Accepting virtually all continuing education from residencies taken prior to AGD membership.• Accepting virtually all continuing education from nearly all providers.• Establishing 1 set of rules for accepting continuing education.• Permitting FAGD/MAGD to be achieved entirely through internet and home study.• Removing the requirement of attending the FAGD/MAGD ceremony.

Support ADA’s advocacy efforts – seek opportunities to protect general dentistswith & without ADA

Part of the effort to strengthen AGD’s image should come through advocacy efforts in behalf of generaldentists. AGD should continue to work with ADA and seek opportunities to protect general dentists whenADA’s efforts are not sufficiently targeted to general dentists.

Advocacy work, like nearly any product or service, is part tangible, part perceptual. AGD should tirelesslyposition itself in communications to members, non-members, and the media as taking a leading role in jointadvocacy efforts with the ADA. Consistent and pervasive communication of AGD’s efforts, positions onissues, and legislative/regulatory successes must be synthesized and distributed to members, non-members,and the media. Bullet point summaries (talking points) should be the currency of AGD’s advocacy commu-nication.

The impact of AGD’s advocacy efforts on members can be strengthened by mimicking methods of laborunions. Staffing, organizing, funding, and “acting” (us vs. them) as unions can strengthen a sense of solidarityamong general dentists. It is “us against them”: general dentists vs. specialists, general dentists vs. thirdparty payers, general dentists vs. regulators, general dentists vs. legislators, etc.


OMRI STUDY

Enhance the Value Proposition of Membership/Establish Emotional Ties withMembers

All of the preceding recommendations are designed to increase the value proposition of membership.Broadening the product portfolio, helping members run their businesses, removing arbitrary membership andcontinuing education barriers, repositioning the Annual Meeting, etc. are all designed to add value to mem-bership.

As stated in the previous recommendation, all products and services have a tangible component and aperceptual component. Americans were convinced to pay more for a middle of the road Swedish vodka(Absolut) because of creative advertising and packaging. Americans became so convinced through years ofmarketing that Volvo was the safest car that young drivers who were not concerned about safety shunnedthe brand necessitating a new line of vehicles and marketing targeting younger drivers.

What AGD says to members (and non-members and the media) is just as important as what it offers tomembers through its broadened product portfolio. In today’s fast-paced, media-laden environment, sayingless and saying it more frequently is important. So is establishing relationships with members. AGD musttransition from a one-way communication model to a two-way communication model with members. Atwo-way communication model requires that AGD offer value to members for their feedback. The objec-tive is to establish a relationship of mutual benefit and trust, and to establish meaningful interfaces withmembers.

A two-way communication model must be centrally organized so AGD is consistent in how it interacts withmembers. In every interface, AGD’s focus should be on providing benefit to members, not on sellingmembers the newest CE program, book, or DVD.

The importance of establishing emotional ties with members is demonstrated by the following figures fromthe OMRI study:

• 75% of members rarely or ever get involved with AGD.• Three-fourths of members cite time and distance as barriers to involvement.• 37% claim they have never been asked to get involved.• 30% maintain that AGD leadership is cliquish.• 54% state that AGD is present or past oriented rather than future oriented.• 41% want AGD to be less concerned about rules and regulations and more concerned about

providing value.

These members are not strong advocates of AGD – they experience membership from a distance. They aredetached, unemotional. AGD’s challenge is to engage these members. New and enhanced products,services, and events can help. More meaningful interfaces between AGD and these members can help.Changes in AGD’s attitude regarding membership and continuing education rules and regulations can help.Being a stronger and more visible advocate for general dentists can help.

Section B

2004

Documents

Transcript of 2004