Ontario Dental Association (oda)

What Ontario Dental Association (oda) does

The Ontario Dental Association (ODA) is a voluntary professional membership organization founded in 1867-1868 in Toronto, Canada, representing approximately 90% of dentists licensed by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO), or roughly 9,000-11,000 members, alongside dental students, internationally trained dentists, new practitioners in their first 10 years, and retired dentists. It operates under a General Council made up of representatives from 39 regional component societies and is led by an elected board of dentists, with Dr. Janet Leith serving as the 153rd President (effective June 2025).

The ODA generates revenue from six streams: annual membership dues (the largest recurring stream), display and classified advertising in the award-winning Ontario Dentist journal (published 10 times a year with ~10,500 circulation), registration and sponsorship revenue from the Annual Spring Meeting convention (now in its 159th year, one of the longest-running dental conventions in North America), ticket and sponsorship revenue from the New Dentist Symposium, marketplace commissions from the ODA Supply Hub online dental-supply marketplace (in partnership with Sowingo), and fee-for-service third-party email broadcasting to members. The organization does not disclose financial statements and is not a capital-raising entity; it is governed as a non-profit professional association under Ontario law.

Its product surface spans member services (Extended Health Care group insurance via Great-West Life, CDSPI retirement and financial planning, Member Discount Program with 25+ commercial partners, Job & Ad Board, ODA Mediations Program, Suggested Fee Guides, Component Societies Network, Honours & Awards Program), public-facing programs (Find an ODA Dentist directory, Smile Magazine, oral health education, ODA Mediations Program for patient-dentist disputes), advocacy and policy resources (CDCP, Healthy Smiles Ontario, Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program, OW, ODSP, regulatory and legislative issues), and social-impact programming (the Remote Areas Program serving approximately 30 Indigenous communities in northwestern Ontario). Technology is a content and member-portal website rather than a software product; no API, no AI/ML modalities, and no proprietary platform are disclosed. The ODA is operationally mature, GTA Top Employer for 7 consecutive years (2020-2026) and headquartered in a large open-plan Yorkville office.

Name

Ontario Dental Association (oda)

Legal name

Ontario Dental Association

Website

https://oda.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1867

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Ontario Dental Association is a voluntary professional membership organization founded in 1867-1868 in Toronto, Canada, representing approximately 9,000-11,000 dentists (~90% of Ontario dentists) through advocacy, continuing education, publications, and group benefits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

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 fees from over 11,000 dentists in Ontario
2. Ontario Dentist Journal Advertising: Display and classified advertising in the official journal, published 10 times a year with approximately 10,500 circulation per issue
3. Annual Spring Meeting (ASM): Signature event generating revenue through registration fees and sponsorships; ASM is in its 159th year
4. New Dentist Symposium: Two-day specialized continuing education event for dentists in their first 10 years of practice
5. ODA Supply Hub: Online marketplace for members offering dental supplies from authorized manufacturers and suppliers
6. Third-party Email Broadcasting: Fee-for-service for external organizations to share information with ODA members via email, subject to setup fee and charge per email address

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The ODA is a voluntary professional membership association that represents approximately 9,000–11,000 dentists in Ontario (~90% of the province's dentists). It sells and delivers annual membership in exchange for advocacy, continuing education, publications, member benefits, practice support resources, and group insurance. Standalone paid or member-only offerings include the Ontario Dentist Journal, the Annual Spring Meeting, the New Dentist Symposium, the ODA Supply Hub marketplace, Find an ODA Dentist directory, Smile Magazine, and the Extended Health Care insurance plan.

Product overview

The Ontario Dental Association operates as a professional membership organization offering a suite of member services and public programs rather than a unified software product. Its core offerings include the Ontario Dentist Journal (10x/year publication), Annual Spring Meeting (signature convention), and New Dentist Symposium for professional development; the ODA Supply Hub online marketplace for dental supplies; Find an ODA Dentist public directory; Smile Magazine for patient education; Remote Areas Program for Indigenous communities; ODA Mediations Program; and various insurance/benefits programs including Extended Health Care. The organization also provides government dental program navigation resources (CDCP, Healthy Smiles Ontario, Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program, etc.), Suggested Fee Guides, a Job & Ad Board, and maintains a network of 39 Component Societies across Ontario.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ontario Dentist Journal: The official award-winning journal of the ODA, published 10 times a year, reporting on clinical techniques, practice management, legislation and industry news affecting dental professionals in Ontario.
• Smile Magazine
• Annual Spring Meeting (ASM)
• New Dentist Symposium
• Remote Areas Program (RAP)
• ODA Mediations Program

Products and services

• Ontario Dentist Journal The ODA's official award-winning journal for dental professionals in Ontario, reporting on clinical techniques, practice management, financial planning, legislation, and industry news. Published 10 times per year with circulation of approximately 10,500 readers including ODA members, dental students, and industry professionals.
• Annual Spring Meeting (ASM) The ODA's signature continuing-education and networking convention, in its 159th year and described as one of the longest-running dental conventions in North America. Offers learning, networking, and professional development for Ontario dentists, with registration fees and sponsorships generating revenue.
• New Dentist Symposium A two-day specialized continuing-education event for ODA members in their first 10 years of practice, offering CE topics, roundtable exchanges with industry experts, and networking opportunities.
• ODA Supply Hub An online marketplace for ODA members offering a broad selection of dental supplies from authorized manufacturers and suppliers. Provides member-priced procurement of dental supplies, with Sowingo providing inventory management services integration.
• Find an ODA Dentist A public-facing online directory allowing members of the public to search for ODA-member dentists by location or area, with practice contact information and specialties listed. Drives patient referrals to ODA members.
• Smile Magazine A patient-focused digital magazine published twice per year with tips and articles on oral health, featuring easy-to-understand content for the general public and supporting patient education and referrals to ODA dentists.
• Remote Areas Program (RAP) An ODA program delivering dental care to approximately 30 Indigenous communities throughout northwestern Ontario, from Kenora to the Hudson Bay coast. Covers travel, accommodation, and provides competitive per diem rates for participating dental professionals.
• ODA Mediations Program A mediation service operated by the ODA to help resolve concerns or problems between patients and dentists. Provided as part of the ODA's patient-and-member services.
• Job & Ad Board A free online posting board for ODA members to advertise employment opportunities, practice sales/purchases, and dental equipment. Supports recruitment and practice-transition activity in the Ontario dental community.
• Extended Health Care (EHC) Insurance Plan A group Extended Health Care insurance plan for ODA members and their families, administered in partnership with Great-West Life, with an online payment portal for coverage management.
• Member Discount Program A curated member discount program providing ODA members with access to negotiated discounts from 25+ vendor partners across automotive, telecommunications, fitness, travel, financial services, payment processing, and dental supplies (e.g., Audi, BMW, Bell, Telus, Rogers, GoodLife, Moneris, CDSPI, Sowingo, Perkopolis).

Quantifiable outcome

• Representing 90% of Ontario dentists (over 9,000 members)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 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.

• Canadian Dental Association (CDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ODA is a proud Corporate Member of the Canadian Dental Association. The CDA provides national-level resources and the ODA provides contact information and membership data to CDA for determination of eligibility for CDA products and services.
• CDSPI (Candian Dental Services Plan Inc.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDSPI provides retirement savings programs and other financial services to ODA members through the membership benefit program.
• Great-West LifecoreOthersGreat-West Life is the EHC (Extended Health Care) provider for ODA members. Member information including names, addresses, membership ID, dependent names, and coverage details are provided to process applications and changes to coverage.
• AccertaminorOthersAccerta administers the Healthy Smiles Ontario program for the province, connecting eligible children with dental services through ODA member dentists.
• Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO)coreOthersRCDSO is the regulatory body that licenses and oversees dentists in Ontario. The ODA works with RCDSO on professional standards and provides a resource clarifying the distinct roles of each organization.
• University of Toronto Faculty of DentistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of two dental schools in Ontario. Sends one student representative to ODA General Council. Offers IDAPP program for internationally trained dentists.
• Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of two dental schools in Ontario. Sends one student representative to ODA General Council. Offers Advanced Standing Program for International Dental Graduates.
• Audi Canada Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember discount program partner providing vehicle purchase/lease discounts to ODA members.
• Bell Mobility Exclusive Partner ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember discount program partner providing wireless services discounts to ODA members.
• GoodLife FitnessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember discount program partner providing fitness membership discounts to ODA members.
• Rogers WirelessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember discount program partner providing wireless services discounts to ODA members.
• Telus CanadaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember discount program partner providing wireless services discounts to ODA members.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Saskatchewan Dental Association: Provincial dental association in Saskatchewan serving dentists with advocacy, CE, and member services. Another Canadian provincial peer offering direct structural comparison with ODA's operating model.
• British Columbia Dental Association: Provincial dental association in BC serving dentists with advocacy, CE events, and member services. Operates with the same membership-organization structure as ODA and offers a strong cross-provincial comparison on member economics and programming.
• Alberta Dental Association: Provincial dental association in Alberta operating with a near-identical voluntary membership model, advocacy focus, CE programming, and member benefits structure. Direct provincial-level peer offering the closest model comparison for ODA.
• Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO): Ontario's dental regulatory body that licenses and oversees dentists. While regulatory rather than voluntary, RCDSO serves the same Ontario dentist population as ODA and the two organizations coordinate on professional standards. They are the closest geographic peer with overlapping constituency.
• Canadian Dental Association: The national professional association for Canadian dentists. ODA is explicitly a Corporate Member of CDA and they collaborate on advocacy, with CDA providing national-level resources and ODA providing membership data. This is ODA's most direct peer at the national level with a near-identical membership-association model.
• Association des chirurgiens dentistes du Québec (ACDQ): Quebec's professional dental association representing dentists in the province. Comparable voluntary membership structure, advocacy focus, and CE offerings—provides the French-language and Quebec-specific regulatory context peer for ODA.
• Manitoba Dental Association: Provincial dental association in Manitoba with similar voluntary membership, advocacy, and continuing education functions. Useful peer for cross-provincial benchmarking of membership economics and programming.
• Nova Scotia Dental Association: Provincial dental association in Nova Scotia with similar voluntary membership and advocacy mission. Provides another Atlantic Canada benchmark for ODA's provincial-association model.

Broad incumbents

• American Dental Association (ADA): The largest national dental professional association in North America. Operates with a much broader scope and resources than ODA but shares the core voluntary membership, advocacy, CE, and journal business model. Useful as a broad incumbent reference for scale and product portfolio comparison.
• British Dental Association (BDA): The UK national professional association for dentists. Comparable voluntary membership model with advocacy, CE events, and member benefits; offers international benchmarking for ODA's structure and programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/OntarioDentalAssoc
• Facebookfacebook.com/OntarioDentalAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ontariodentalassociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/ontariodentalassoc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

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 Ontario Dental Association (oda)