The Ontario Dental Association is a voluntary professional organization representing 80 percent of dentists in Ontario, Canada
It was founded in 1867 by Dr. Barnabus Day and nine colleagues. It is one of the oldest professional

Professional

A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...

 organisations in North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

.
Its mission is to provide exemplary oral health care and promotes the attainment of optimal health

Health

Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...

 for the people of Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

. Member dentists are recognized for their knowledge and expertise that makes their association a unique and effective advocate for the dental

Dentistry

Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...

 profession with the public, government, insurance carriers, dental plan sponsors and other dental organizations

Timeline

• 1867- ODA founded by Dr. Barnabus Day and nine other colleagues
• 1875- ODA opens first dental college in Canada, with 11 students
• 1909- ODA organises public meetings, lectures and publishes information for increasing dental awareness in society
• 1987- ODA establishes policy which supports a full ban on tobacco advertising and supports ban on smoking in public areas.
• 2000- ODA joins the Ontario Medical Association
  Ontario Medical Association
  The Ontario Medical Association is a professional organization for physicians in Ontario, Canada founded in 1880. It represents and, to a certain degree, governs approximately 24,000 physicians in Ontario. The association's main office is located at 150 Bloor St. West in Toronto. The current...
  
   and the Ontario Pharmacists' Association in a program called Clinical Tobacco Intervention, which helps the dental team identify smokers and provides tools to assist patients in quitting.