Maine Dental Association

What Maine Dental Association does

The Maine Dental Association (MDA) is a nonprofit professional membership organization serving licensed dentists practicing in the state of Maine, operating as the state constituent society of the American Dental Association within a tripartite membership structure that also includes local component societies. Founded in 1867 and headquartered in Manchester, Maine, the MDA serves more than 700 member dentists by providing professional connections, member discounts, continuing education (including an annual convention with CE credits), legislative advocacy in the Maine state legislature, and informative practice resources. The association is led by Chief Executive Officer Therese Cahill and operates with a staff of 1-10 employees.

The MDA generates revenue through four primary streams: annual membership dues from individual dentists, recurring fees from its Preferred Business Partners program (established in 2018, with 18+ vetted partners including ADP, M&T Bank, TD Bank, USI Insurance, and Torch Dental), advertising in the MDA News publication and membership roster, and continuing education programming. The organization is currently exploring the revival of a Group Health Insurance program contingent on achieving 1,000 enrolled participants. Additional programs include the Donated Dental Services initiative (operated since 1999 with Dental Lifeline Network) and a student mentorship program with the University of New England.

The MDA's technology footprint consists of standard association management and event management tools, including a Salesforce-based member portal, and the organization does not develop proprietary technology products. Its competitive positioning rests on its official ADA affiliation, its regulatory advocacy role in the Maine legislature (most recently active during the 132nd Legislature), and its integrated vendor and professional network, with geographic scope limited to the state of Maine.

Name

Maine Dental Association

Legal name

Maine Dental Association

Website

https://medental.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1867

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Maine Dental Association is a nonprofit professional membership organization serving more than 700 licensed dentists in Maine, operating as a state constituent of the American Dental Association and providing legislative advocacy, continuing education, member discounts, and a Preferred Business Partners program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from over 700 member dentists across Maine, with tripartite membership structure including local component, state MDA, and American Dental Association affiliation.
2. Preferred Business Partner Program: Revenue generated through the Preferred Business Partners program established in 2018, where vetted business partners pay to access Maine's dental practices. The program provides visibility and recognition for partners delivering services to dental offices.
3. Advertising and Publications: The MDA News publication and membership roster accept advertising from businesses seeking to reach Maine dentists. The association also sells advertisement space through its annual advertisement opportunities.
4. Continuing Education: Continuing education credits and programs for dental professionals, including the MDA Annual Convention with CE credits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Maine Dental Association is a professional membership organization for licensed dentists in Maine, operating as the state constituent of the American Dental Association through a tripartite membership structure (local component, state MDA, national ADA). It sells annual memberships that bundle professional networking, member discounts, continuing education programs (including the MDA Annual Convention), legislative advocacy at the Maine state legislature, and access to vetted Preferred Business Partners offering practice services. The association also generates revenue through advertising in its publications and partnership fees from Preferred Business Partners.

Product overview

The Maine Dental Association is a professional membership organization for dentists in Maine, not a software product company. The association provides membership services including professional connections, member discounts, continuing education, legislative advocacy, and informative resources. The organization operates a tripartite membership structure with the American Dental Association. Key member-facing resources include Find a Dentist directory, patient education materials, donated dental services, and a Preferred Business Partners program offering exclusive deals and discounts through various business partners. The association also facilitates Group Health Insurance programs for members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Dentist Membership (Tripartite) Annual membership for licensed dentists in Maine, bundled with mandatory local component society and American Dental Association affiliation. Includes professional networking, member discounts, continuing education access, legislative advocacy, and informative resources.
• MDA Annual Convention with Continuing Education Annual in-person event providing continuing education (CE) credits, networking opportunities, and exhibitor showcases. CE credits are issued to attendees' registration emails within 30 days of the event.
• Preferred Business Partners Program Vetted vendor referral program established in 2018 that connects MDA member dentists with partner companies offering payroll, banking, insurance, IT, dental supplies, and practice services. Partners pay partnership fees for visibility and recognition; members receive exclusive discounts (e.g., Torch Dental claims 20-30% savings on supplies).
• Advertising in MDA News and Member Roster Print and online advertising placements in the MDA News publication, membership roster, and annual advertisement opportunities document, enabling vendors to reach Maine dentists.
• Donated Dental Services (DDS) Program Charitable program operated since 1999 in cooperation with the Dental Lifeline Network, in which volunteer MDA member dentists provide comprehensive dental care at no charge to needy disabled, elderly, and mentally compromised individuals in Maine.
• Legislative Advocacy and Tracking Active representation of member dentists' interests before the Maine state legislature, including a Legislative Tracker dashboard and regular updates on state and federal laws impacting dentistry. Activity evidenced in the 132nd Maine Legislature.
• Find a Dentist Public Directory Public-facing online directory that allows patients to locate MDA member dentists and Maine dental clinics, driving patient referrals to member practices.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Preferred Business Partners ProgramcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018The Preferred Business Partners Program was established in 2018 to provide greater visibility and recognition to top-performing partners delivering services to Maine dental practices. Partners include ADP, Androscoggin Bank, Bangor Payroll, Best Card, CGI Digital, Doctors Disability Specialists, Ekim IT Solutions, Equitable, Harbor Digital, M&T Bank, ProSites, RCPM Resources, Royer Advisors, SRG Training & Consulting, The Malloy Firm, TD Bank, Torch Dental, USI Insurance, and Warp + Weft. The program pairs member dentists with companies providing products and services for their businesses, employees, and patients.
• American Dental AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MDA operates as the Maine state constituent of the American Dental Association as part of a tripartite membership structure. This affiliation provides MDA members with access to national resources, advocacy at the federal level, ADA Member Advantage programs, and credentialing through the national organization.
• ADPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerADP provides payroll, HR, and benefits administration services to dental practices. Offered through the MDA Preferred Business Partners program with dedicated local representative Chris Bauer.
• Androscoggin BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAndroscoggin Bank provides banking services for dental practices including practice financing and personal banking. Contact: Deborah Avasthi.
• Bangor PayrollminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBangor Payroll, a division of Bangor Savings Bank, provides payroll and HR services to businesses including dental practices in New England.
• Best CardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBest Card offers credit card processing services endorsed by ADA Member Advantage, offering MDA members $100 discount on processing equipment.
• Torch DentalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTorch Dental is a professional supply system that simplifies dental supply ordering, claiming to save offices 20-30% on supplies and reduce 50% of inventory time.
• USI Insurance ServicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUSI provides insurance coverage including professional liability (malpractice), general liability, property, employment liability, cyber liability, with special discounts for first-time practice purchasers, new graduates, and part-time dentists.
• MaineCareminorOthersMaineCare's Dental Workgroup collaborates with the MDA to provide resources for MaineCare providers including Q&A documents, billing guidance, and training opportunities.
• Dental Lifeline NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Donated Dental Services (DDS) program is developed in cooperation with the Dental Lifeline Network (formerly National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped). Volunteer dentists provide comprehensive dental care at no charge to needy disabled, elderly, and mentally compromised individuals.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Dental Lifeline Network: National nonprofit that partners with state dental associations (including the MDA since 1999) to coordinate the Donated Dental Services program. Adjacent peer because it shares a constituency of volunteer dentists but is not a competing membership organization.

Direct peers

• Rhode Island Dental Association: Small-state New England ADA constituent association with the same tripartite membership structure, providing advocacy, CE, and member support services analogous to those of the MDA.
• Massachusetts Dental Society: State-level professional membership association for dentists in Massachusetts, structured similarly to the MDA via tripartite ADA membership. It offers the same combination of legislative advocacy, CE, member benefits, and component society structure, making it the closest functional peer.
• New Hampshire Dental Society: Adjacent New England state dental association serving licensed dentists in New Hampshire. Operates the same tripartite ADA model with comparable member benefits, CE programming, and legislative advocacy at the state level.
• Vermont State Dental Society: State dental association for Vermont dentists and a fellow ADA state constituent. Closely comparable in size, mission, and service mix to the MDA, focused on advocacy, CE, and member services in a small New England state.
• Connecticut State Dental Association: Professional membership organization for Connecticut dentists operating under the tripartite ADA structure. Comparable in scope of services—advocacy, CE, member benefits—and serves a similarly regulated New England dental workforce.

Broad incumbents

• American Dental Association: The national parent organization of which the MDA is a state constituent. ADA provides federal advocacy, national credentials, and shared programs (e.g., ADA Member Advantage) that the MDA extends locally, making it the most structurally comparable peer.
• California Dental Association: One of the largest state dental associations in the U.S., operating the same tripartite ADA model but at significantly greater scale. Relevant as a peer because it shares the same association business model, advocacy focus, and member-benefit approach.
• Texas Dental Association: Large state dental association serving Texas dentists under the tripartite ADA framework. Comparable in mission and structure even though far larger in membership count than the MDA.

Emerging players

• Academy of General Dentistry: National membership organization focused specifically on general dentists and continuing education. Comparable because it competes for the same individual dentist members and offers overlapping CE and advocacy value, though operating nationally rather than state-by-state.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MDADental
• Facebookfacebook.com/MaineDental
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maine-dental-assoc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maine Dental Association