The 1990 Harry Bruce Legislative Fellowship

The experiences described here recount my involvement in the various legislative processes and measure the tangible knowledge gained. It is most difficult to convey the impact of these experiences on my values and insights. This of course is not an uncommon phenomenon, it's encountered daily in dental education. However, probably one of the most significant outcomes of this experience is my expanded appreciation for the role of the AADS Division of Government Affairs in advocating for the concerns of dental education and the betterment of the oral health in our society. They serve and represent us well. However, their success is only as good as the support we, as dental educators, are willing to provide in the legislative process. A major step to the fulfillment of our obligation is simply understanding that we can play a most important role. The next step is informing the AADS of your interest and willingness to support their efforts and becoming a legislative advocate. And finally, when called upon to assist in a legislative effort you must be prepared to respond in a timely manner. I am satisfied that I have fulfilled my goals for the fellowship experience. It is my assessment that the goals of the Association were also met. I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to immediately implement my new knowledge and skills. Since the completion of my fellowship experience I have stayed in touch with the issues and served as a contact person and resource at my institution.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)