The Leadership Development Committee

Committee Chairs:

  • Alan Nguyen
  • Ashley Ingram
  • Guntas Kakar

In its seventh year running, the Leadership Development Committee's goal is to provide valuable resources to equip ASDA's committee chairs to be the best leaders they can be. Working directly with the Executive Cabinet, this committee holds bi-quarterly workshops that address areas including utilizing personal strengths, building an effective team, and public speaking. The committee also issues monthly leadership emails to the student body and publishes articles in the Diastema.

Committee Goals:

  • Have committee chairs take the Clifton Strengths Finder Survey to categorize them by their strengths, so that their leadership can be better tailored around these strengths.
  • Hold bi-quarterly leadership workshops to help ASDA committee members develop leadership skills for committee management, time management, delegating tasks, effective communication, public speaking, and putting together a CV.
  • Issue monthly emails including tips and articles on leadership to UCLA School of Dentistry and contribute to the Diastema.

Contact Information:

Local Leadership Positions

There are many opportunities to serve as an ASDA leader at the local level. Active involvement helps develop the knowledge and skills that are necessary to be a successful dentist and well-rounded professional. Each chapter is structured differently and offers a variety of positions. All chapters have a first and second delegate who manage the chapter and serve as the liaison to the national office. The UCLA ASDA Chapter organization consists of a Cabinet, Committee Chairs, and Committees. If you'd like to become involved with UCLA ASDA, check out the Committee Webpages and find which ones interest you the most. Then, apply for a position within that committee. Prior experience will prepare you for more active leadership roles as a future Committee Chair or Cabinet member. There are many ways to participate!

National Leadership Positions

ASDA introduces students to organized dentistry and provides opportunities to develop leadership skills. ASDA national leaders have gone on to serve on ADA's New Dentist Committee, state and local societies, and as presenters at ASDA, AGD, and ADA national meetings. This diagram shows the structure of ASDA and how the Board, Councils, Editorial Board, and other national leaders work together.

How To Apply

Only active ASDA predoctoral members may apply (unless otherwise stated). We strongly encourage students to contact the current leaders to learn more about the position before applying. Once an application is submitted, no changes to the materials can be made. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications for 2023-2024 will open in October 2022. Applications for all positions, except district trustee, will be due in January 2023. District trustee applications are due in February 2023 at Annual Session.

Attendance Requirements

National leaders must be able to attend each meeting as listed in their position description. Applicants who cannot attend all required meetings will not be considered – no exceptions. Please review this carefully before applying. Click here for a list of national meetings. Funding is provided for required meetings and includes transportation to/from meetings, meals, hotel accommodations, a per diem based on the length of the meeting, and reimbursement for baggage fees.

Elections & Appointments

The 2023-2024 appointed leaders will be selected by the 2022-2023 board of trustees in January 2023. Elected leaders (the executive committee, speaker of the house, and district trustees) will be selected at Annual Session, in Anaheim, California. All 2023-2024 national leaders will begin their term at the conclusion of Annual Session.

Orientation & Leadership Training

ASDA national leaders are introduced to their new role through an orientation program (in-person and via conference calls), including:

  1. Overview of ASDA organizational structure, standing rules, policies, and procedures
  2. Tips for leading a team, along with a copy of "Enhancing Committee Effectiveness"
  3. Position-specific training from prior year's leaders
  4. Resources for how to make strategic decisions and manage conflict
  5. Mentorship from ASDA staff and other leaders in organized dentistry

Contact Information: