Sacramento District Dental Society

What Sacramento District Dental Society does

Sacramento District Dental Society (SDDS) is a California chartered, member-governed professional association of dentists and dental professionals serving the Sacramento capital region — specifically Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo Counties. The society functions as the regional credentialing and advocacy body under the broader California Dental Association framework, providing continuing education courses required for licensure renewal, peer networking, and practice-management support. Core products revolve around membership services, with general membership CE meetings, business and practice-management forums, CPR/AHA BLS courses, licensure-renewal courses, and an annual two-day MidWinter Convention & Expo held at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center. Member-facing communications run through a bimonthly publication called The Nugget, an online member directory, a Find a Dentist referral service, a Job Bank, an exclusive HR Hotline, and HR webinars.

SDDS monetizes primarily through recurring member dues from licensed dentists and dental professionals, supplemented by a $3,900/year vendor membership package that bundles advertising in The Nugget, a MidWinter Convention booth, exhibitor tables at meetings, online vendor listings, and preferred-vendor status. Transaction-based revenue comes from CE course fees (general meetings $89–$109; CPR courses $98 total) and from foundation events including a Gala, Golf Tournament, and Broadway/Music Circus ticket program; the 2024 Foundation Gala raised $70,000. The Sacramento District Dental Foundation operates as a wholly-owned 501(c)(3) charitable arm delivering Smiles for Kids (children's screenings and treatment since 1991, 649,043+ children screened and $16M in services), Smiles for Big Kids (adult dental services since 2009, $1.7M+ provided), Crowns for Kids (a scrap-metal donation program with Star Refining), oral health puppet shows, and scholarships/grants funded by CDA Foundation, California Wellness Foundation, and Delta Dental Community Care Foundation grants. SDDS has 1–10 employees and is headquartered at 2035 Hurley Way, Suite 200, Sacramento; the organization has no AI/ML, API, or proprietary technology stack disclosed beyond standard web and publication tooling.

Go-to-market is community-led: member engagement is driven through events, publications, and direct member services rather than outbound sales; vendors are recruited into a single tiered package; foundation donors are acquired through foundation events and grant applications; and public awareness is built via earned media (Fox40 segments during Children's Dental Health Month) and the 1st Tooth or 1st Birthday campaign, which won the 2011 ADA Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Dental Health Promotion to the Public.

Name

Sacramento District Dental Society

Legal name

Sacramento District Dental Society

Website

https://sdds.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sacramento District Dental Society is a member-governed professional association serving dentists and dental professionals across five Northern California counties, delivering continuing education, advocacy, networking, and Foundation-run charitable dental programs for underserved children and adults.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Dental Association Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Health Promotion & Behavior Change (SBCC) (BPADAIAL)

Keywords

• Professional dental association
• Continuing dental education
• Dental membership services
• Community dental programs
• Dental foundation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

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. Member Dues: Annual membership fees for dentists and dental professionals providing access to CE courses, events, publications, and member benefits.
2. Vendor Memberships: Vendor membership package at $3,900 per year includes advertising in The Nugget, expo booth at MidWinter Convention, exhibitor tables at meetings, and online vendor listings.
3. CE Courses and Events: Continuing education courses, general meetings, business forums, and CPR BLS courses offered to members and non-members for fees ranging from $89-$395 per course.
4. Foundation Events: Fundraising events including Foundation Gala ($70,000 raised in 2024), Broadway shows, Golf Tournament, and Music Circus ticket sales benefit the charitable foundation.
5. Advertising and Publications: Revenue from advertising in The Nugget publication (6x/year), website ads, and promotional opportunities through member communications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sacramento District Dental Society (SDDS) is a professional membership association serving dentists and dental professionals across the Sacramento capital region spanning five counties. It delivers member benefits, continuing education courses, networking events, an annual convention and expo, and operates the Sacramento District Dental Foundation, a charitable 501(c)(3) entity that funds community oral health programs.

Product overview

Sacramento District Dental Society (SDDS) operates as a professional association offering a membership-based platform with multiple integrated products and services. The core offering centers on membership services providing access to continuing education courses, professional events, and networking opportunities. SDDS's flagship events include the annual MidWinter Convention & Expo and regular General Membership Meetings. The Society publishes The Nugget magazine six times yearly. For the dental industry, Vendor Membership provides advertising and exhibitor access at $3,900 annually. The charitable arm, Sacramento District Dental Foundation, operates distinct programs: Smiles for Kids (screening and treating children), Smiles for Big Kids (serving low-income adults), Crowns for Kids (metal donation program), and oral health education puppet shows. Foundation events include the annual Gala, Golf Tournament, and theater ticket program. Public-facing services include the Find a Dentist referral, HR Hotline for members, and the 1st Tooth or 1st Birthday Campaign promoting early dental visits. The portfolio functions as a unified professional association ecosystem serving dentists, the dental industry, and the community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sacramento District Dental Foundation: Charitable 501(c)(3) arm of SDDS that promotes oral and general health of the public through education, service, treatment, scholarships and grants

Products and services

• Professional Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• 649,043+ children screened for oral health since 1991
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Puppet Art TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver oral health education puppet shows to school children in the five-county area. Shows include 'Clay and the Sugarsaurus Rex' for Pre-K through 1st graders and 'The Adventures of Sir Enamel' for K through 4th graders. SDDS, SDDF, Sutter Health and Liberty Dental Plan collaborate on this initiative.
• Sutter HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner collaborating with SDDS Foundation on puppet show programs for oral health education in schools throughout the Sacramento region.
• Liberty Dental PlanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDental plan provider partnering with SDDS Foundation on oral health education puppet shows for children in the service area.
• Clara's HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partnered with Smiles for Big Kids program to provide dental services to disadvantaged adults in the community.
• Women's EmpowermentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity nonprofit partnered with Smiles for Big Kids to provide dental care services to women in need, including those escaping violent situations.
• Everyone for VeteransminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterans organization partnered with Smiles for Big Kids program to connect veterans needing dental care with volunteer SDDS member dentists.
• St. John's Program for Real ChangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partnered with Smiles for Big Kids to provide dental treatment access for women and families working toward stability and self-sufficiency.
• WEAVE, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerServices organization partnered with Smiles for Big Kids to connect survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault with dental care services.
• Star RefiningminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetal refinery partner for Crowns for Kids program since 2005. Patients donate scrap metal from dental treatment which is refined and converted to cash donations for the Foundation's Smiles for Kids program. Program is nearing the half million dollar mark.
• California Employers AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides SDDS with an exclusive HR Hotline number for member dentists who are also employers, offering free consultation on employee evaluations, hiring and firing, labor laws and personnel files.
• Project Safe HavenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partnered with Smiles for Big Kids to provide dental services to adults in need within the Sacramento region.
• CDA FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia Dental Association Foundation has provided grants to Smiles for Big Kids program supporting oral health services for low-income adults.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Dental Association: National dental professional society and the awarding body that granted SDDS its 2011 Golden Apple Award. Operates across all 50 states as a broader portfolio of advocacy, CE, and public health initiatives, overlapping with SDDS's mission at a national scale.

Direct peers

• Chicago Dental Society: Major regional dental society (Midwest) operating the district-society model — membership dues, CE programming, MidWinter Meeting equivalent, and community foundation work — directly comparable in structure to SDDS at a larger scale.
• California Dental Association: State-level professional dental association that serves as SDDS's umbrella organization at the state level, with overlapping member benefits, advocacy, CE programming, and direct grant funding relationships (CDA Foundation supports SDDS Foundation programs).
• Alameda County Dental Society: Northern California district dental society serving Alameda County dentists with parallel structure to SDDS — membership dues, CE courses, general meetings, and community foundation programs targeting the same Bay Area–adjacent dental professional segment.
• Los Angeles Dental Society: Large California district dental society serving Greater Los Angeles dentists with the same membership/CE/community-outreach model as SDDS, scaled to a much larger metropolitan market but structurally identical in offering.
• Santa Clara County Dental Society: Northern California district dental society operating in the same regional dental market cluster as SDDS, with similar member services, CE calendars, and community foundation activities targeting the same Northern California dentist population.
• San Francisco Dental Society: Adjacent California district dental society serving San Francisco dentists with comparable membership dues, CE programming, community outreach, and member benefits — operates the same model as SDDS in a nearby regional market.
• New York County Dental Society: Major East Coast district dental society running membership dues, CE programming, and community dental programs structurally identical to SDDS's offering, but in the New York County market.

Others

• Henry Schein: Largest dental supply and equipment distributor in North America and an existing SDDS Foundation financial partner providing grants-in-kind. Participates in vendor membership and sponsorship programs at district dental societies nationwide, mirroring the vendor-side counterpart relationship.
• Benco Dental: Major privately held dental supply and equipment distributor that participates in SDDS-equivalent vendor membership programs across other district societies; potential vendor partner for SDDS and direct counterpart to the vendor-side relationship SDDS cultivates with member dentists.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sacramento-district-dental-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 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 Sacramento District Dental Society