The ADAA foundation is ten years old; an interview with Dan Parrilli National Sales Manager, John O. Butler Company and Chairman of the ADAA Foundation

Dental Assistant, The, May-June, 2002

The Dental Assistant: What is the purpose or objective of the Foundation?

Parrilli: The primary purpose of the Founda-tion--its objective--is the same now as it has always been: to gather money that the Foundation can use for the support of enhanced educational programs for dental assistants. These programs will ultimately provide the dental assistant with greater skills creating a more meaningful role for the assistant in the dental team. A secondary but very important objective is to enhance membership in the Association itself through the creation of these superior educational programs.

The Dental Assistant: Exactly who has a stake in the Foundation?

Parrilli: It would be flip of me to say "Anyone with teeth" but the Foundation stake holders are really anyone involved in providing optimum dental health care to the patient, and that's all of us, manufacturing industry members as well as dental team members. Enhanced education for any team member benefits the whole team and the whole objective of an educated team is to provide top notch care. Dentists can best focus on the things only dentists can do when they are backed up with educated, competent assistants. The practice benefits from this, and when the practice is successful, the suppliers and manufacturers who service it are in a winning position too. Supporting the Foundation and educating the auxiliary is a win-win situation for everyone, manufacturers, dental practices, dental teams and oh yes ... the patients too!

The Dental Assistant: What is your role as Foundation Chairman?

Parrilli: As any chairman would, I'm there to provide guidance and coordinate efforts. The members of the Foundation Board have an obligation to assure that their own firms are setting a good example in supporting dental assisting education and communicating this enthusiasm and support to their peers so the pool of supporters grows and deepens. And I have an obligation to encourage them in their efforts and be alert for new opportunities.

The Dental Assistant: Who are the Foundation Board Members?

Parrilli: Board members include an impressive number of executives from the dental trades--manufacturing, distribution and the press as well as leadership and members from the ADAA and its staff.

The Dental Assistant: As a sidebar, we'll publish the board member roll call with this article.

You've talked about the role of the dental trades in the Foundation, what if anything can the average ADAA member do besides making a financial contribution?

Parrilli: Surveys conducted by the ADAA have clearly shown that dental assistants are pivotal in the ordering of supplies and services for the day-to-day needs of their practices. I want to encourage dental assistants to communicate more directly with the people they support--the sales and service representatives and dentists too, to let them know that the Foundation exists for a purpose that they will all find beneficial and that their support is warranted. Again, it's a question of enlightened self-interest. These categories of practitioners and professionals should help to support the Foundation because ultimately the Foundation benefits them all.

The Dental Assistant: Our surveys show that dental assistants have a growing role in the management of the practice on the business side, and a growing level of activity on the clinical side in terms of infection control, expanded functions and more complex equipment operation and maintenance. Do Foundation courses address these concerns?

Parrilli: Absolutely. During the years of the Foundation's existence, comprehensive courses have been developed to help those interested in preparing for national examinations leading to certification. In addition, standards have been established to allow for those with or without certification to reach for recognition through the Fellowship and Mastership programs of the ADAA. These forms of recognition are offered in both clinical and practice management modes and our courses support the requirements.

The Dental Assistant: These same surveys show that over 70% of ADAA members purchase for the practice. Are people in the trades aware of this and do they perceive Assistants as professionals?

Parrilli: Sometimes the ADAA seems like a well kept secret despite your wonderful education and journal, and it's one of the tasks of the Foundation to let this secret out of the bag in order to enhance membership. I can't speak for the world in saying whether or not the dental trades recognize assistants as professionals, but I can speak for those on the board of the Foundation and those who support the Foundation in saying that the money and the time wouldn't be contributed by anyone in the trades who didn't believe in your professionalism.

The Dental Assistant: Thank you. What do you see as short term objectives for the Foundation?

Parrilli: Our objectives are ongoing. More funds to create and provide more and better education and work to enhance the membership. It's a never ending task. Again a better educated Dental Assistant advances the quality of dentistry care provided by a dental practice to its patients.