What is a Call for Volunteer Leaders?

Local and national leadership in the U.S. and Canada strive to recruit future leaders for the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). This has proven very successful in that we have been blessed with dedicated, quality people who are eager to serve at all levels. These individuals serve the AGD by planning and conducting local continuing education courses, participating as members of constituent and regional board of directors, and serving on a national level in the council and committee structure. Leadership appointments usually occur at different times during the year depending on the location and circumstance of need. For example, it is not unusual for a task force to be assembled to address a particular issue that developed during the year.

In an effort to involve more members and identify potential volunteers at all levels of the organization, we are conducting an ongoing process of recruiting future leaders for the AGD. The Call for Volunteer Leaders will give all AGD members the opportunity to complete a Call for Volunteer Leaders application indicating their areas of interest in serving the AGD.

Members who complete the Call for Volunteer Leaders application will be entered into a database. As the national and local leadership prepares to make appointments, we will review all the respondents who indicated interest in the areas where volunteer leaders are needed. While in some cases there will be more interested volunteers than available positions, every effort will be made to engage those members interested in getting involved. Each year members will have the opportunity to renew their interest in serving as a volunteer.

Why Volunteer?

Getting involved in the AGD provides benefits to you and your profession.

You'll receive:

• Recognition as a leader who has a commitment to the profession.
• An opportunity to network with peers in the profession.
• Possible speaking opportunities.
• Innovative ideas to use in your practice.
• Leadership development training.
• Experience in leadership for future roles in the association.

The profession receives:

• Enhanced public awareness about dentistry.
• Guided development of valuable products and services for members.
• Determined rules, regulations, and laws that govern the profession.
• Unity within organized dentistry.

Types of Volunteer Positions

The AGD's volunteer opportunities include:

• Council/Committee Assignment: These groups are appointed to work in support of the goals and objectives of the AGD’s strategic plan, AGD 2010.
• Task Force Assignment: These groups are appointed to address a specific issue for a specified period of time.
• Author: Write articles for the AGD constituent publications.
• Reviewer: Review articles for the AGD publications.
• Constituent Speaker/Spokesperson Bureau: Represent the AGD at various presentations (schools, health fairs, etc.) or in media interviews as an expert on a variety of oral health topics.
• Constituent Volunteer: Serve as an AGD constituent by giving time in an area of interest or for a specific project.
• Public Liaison: Interact with the general public to increase dental awareness.
• Liaison to Other Dental Organizations: Represent the AGD at meetings of other dental organizations and offer suggestions for collaboration.

Volunteer Opportunities

The following are volunteer opportunities that currently exist in various areas of leadership on both local and national levels. Members with related areas of interest or expertise will be contacted.

• Membership & Group Benefits—Recruitment of new AGD members who share the common principle of lifelong learning through continuing education, while providing excellent benefits to existing members.
• Marketing & Public Relations—Getting the word out about what the general dentist, as the primary care provider of dental services, does for the public, and what the AGD dentists do for organized dentistry.
• Technology & Web Use—Addressing and oversee the Web page, Web Forum, and would be facilitators in injecting current technology into governance activities such as the House of Delegates (HOD), the Board, the Regional Directors, and the working councils and committees of the organization.
• Publications Review— Oversee the management of the AGD's printed media, both to the profession and to the public.
• Annual Meetings— Planning or scouting for one or more of our exceptional local annual meetings or for the AGD annual meeting.
• Dental Education, Self-Instruction, Examinations, Program Approval, Continuing Education (PACE)—Opportunities to serve in the preparation, evaluation, and testing of outstanding continuing education, which is our hallmark as the AGD.   
• Self Assessment—Construct a series of questions, accompanied by reference materials that will appear in the AGD’s clinical, peer-reviewed journal.
• Legislative & Government Affairs—Educating our elected and appointed officials in state, provincial, and national government. We take dentistry's message to our legislators.
• Dental Care Issues—Participating in how dentistry is delivered to the public. Involvement in third party issues.
• Constitution, Bylaws & Judicial Affairs—To study and make recommendations to both the Board of Trustees and the House of Delegates on any proposed change in the Constitution, Bylaws.
• Governance/Credentials & Elections—To require evidence of a delegate’s eligibility from both the constituent and the Chicago Headquarters. Serve as tellers for elections in the House of Delegates.
• Budget & Finance—Preparation of and involvement in the budgetary process for the AGD in pursuit of our activities in serving general dentistry.
• SmileLine and SmileLine Online Volunteer
• Scientific Review Panel Member
• Constituent Speaker/Spokesperson
• Strategic Planning

Volunteer Expectations

As an AGD volunteer, you should:

• Be an AGD member in good standing.
• Attend and fully participate in all scheduled volunteer meetings and/or events.
• Be able to provide the requisite skills required by the position.
• Be open and willing to learn from your fellow volunteers.

An effective AGD volunteer is:

• Knowledgeable in the area for which he/she is volunteering. (You don't need to be an expert, but an understanding of the topic is very helpful.)
• Familiar with the AGD's core purpose and strategic goals.
• Open to new ideas and ready to share experiences.
• Highly energetic and committed to the volunteer experience.