By Samantha Shaver, DMD, FAGD

When most people think about dentistry, they picture patient care—cleanings, restorations, and healthy smiles. But behind every successful practice lies another crucial piece of the puzzle: advocacy.

Each year, Kentucky legislators consider bills that impact everything from insurance and licensure to public health funding and scope of practice. Without professional insight, well-intentioned proposals can have unintended effects on patient safety, dental education, or the daily realities of running a practice.

That’s where grassroots advocacy comes in. When Kentucky dentists meet with their legislators, send an email, or testify on an issue, they bring real-world experience to the policy conversation. These interactions help protect the integrity of the dental profession and ensure that decisions are made with patient welfare in mind.Grassroots efforts aren’t just about protecting the profession—they’re about improving lives. When you share how a proposed bill would affect your patients, your practice, or your community, you give dentistry a human face.

Grassroots advocacy helps legislators see how oral health issues translate into broader health and economic outcomes for Kentuckians.

Through the Kentucky Dental Association, our collective voice becomes stronger. The KDA provides the structure, training, and coordination to help local advocates make their voices heard.

Grassroots advocacy complements the KDA’s formal legislative work by adding local relationships and personal stories, the kind of authentic connection that lawmakers remember when casting their votes. When members engage, we build credibility and influence that no lobbyist or policy report can match.

Advocacy is not a one-time event; it’s a long-term investment in the future of our profession. Building relationships with legislators today ensures that dentistry remains proactive—not reactive—when new issues arise.

The Kentucky Dental Association makes it easy to take part in grassroots advocacy.

Sign up for KDA Action Alerts to stay informed about key issues.

Attend KDA Legislative Day in Frankfort- February 4, 2026 - to meet your lawmakers in person.

Share your story—because your perspective as a dental professional matters.

When we all participate, dentistry’s collective voice in Kentucky becomes stronger, more respected, and more effective than ever.