BU ASDA Lobbies For Dental Legislation At Massachusetts State House
On October 19, 2015, students from Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) convened on Beacon Hill for the second annual Bay State Student Lobby Day at the Massachusetts State House. The event, which is organized each year by the Boston University American Student Dental Association (GSDM ASDA), allowed GSDM students to advocate for important dental-related legislation.
The Bay State Student Lobby Day was founded in 2014 by GSDM ASDA students in an attempt to offer more events for dental students who are interested in political advocacy. Before last year’s inaugural Bay State Student Lobby Day, the only dental lobbying event in Massachusetts was the Massachusetts Dental Society’s Beacon Hill Lobby Day.
While the event was founded by GSDM ASDA, students from the four other dental schools in ASDA’s District 1—Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, and University of New England College of Dental Medicine—are invited by GSDM ASDA to participate.
A total of 15 students from GSDM attended the 2015 Bay State Student Lobby Day. The students met directly with legislators and/or the aids of legislators to lobby for support of two bills related to the dental licensure process: House Bill 263 and House Bill 2058.
“The second annual Bay State Student Lobby Day was truly a successful event,” said GSDM ASDA Legislative Liaison John Barrett DMD 17. “We raised awareness of issues critical to our profession and by doing so gained political support to make the appropriate changes to improve the dental licensure process moving forward.”
The students were at the Massachusetts State House from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. They were able to meet with multiple legislators or aids of legislators, many of whom showed willingness to co-sponsor or support the bills.
GSDM ASDA also held a special dinner in the Hiebert Lounge on October 15, four days before Bay State Student Lobby Day, to provide information and to increase awareness and support of the event. Students from all ASDA District 1 schools were invited to attend the dinner.
Approximately 45 students attended the dinner. They were briefed on how to speak with legislators, the importance of being actively involved in advocacy, and the issues currently being considered for Bay State Student Lobby Day. The dinner featured presentations from students from GSDM, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.
The dinner was sponsored by the Massachusetts Dental Society and featured a keynote address from Mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts, Dan Rivera, in which he spoke about the importance of lobbying and how to lobby effectively.
A representative from the Massachusetts Dental Society, Dr. Pat Machalinski, also spoke at the dinner. Dr. Machalinski spoke about the importance of being genuine and making a connection with representatives while lobbying.
Four days later, on October 19, 15 GSDM students took what they learned from the dinner to the State House to attend several meetings with legislators. The meetings were successful and the GSDM ASDA students in attendance are looking forward to continuing to work on the progress made during Bay State Student Lobby Day.
“I am very proud of the students who volunteered to serve as legislative advocates with our state representatives,” said Dean Hutter. “It is vital that those in our profession remain visible and vocal with legislators within the Commonwealth and across the country so that they are aware of the issues of concern to dentists and dental students.”
Photos from the Bay State Student Lobby Day can be found on Facebook and Flickr.