Take Action!
Advocacy for dental, oral and craniofacial research can be done effectively without ever setting foot in Washington, DC. Help us make the case for sustained federal investments in research.
Email to Your Congressional Offices
The AADR website Action Center allows you to email your Congressional delegation in under 5 minutes by simply entering your zip code.
Call Your Congressional Offices
The AADR website Action Center provides telephone numbers for your Members of Congress. Simply fill in your contact information, follow our script and place a phone call.
Visit the Local Office of Your Senator or Representative
Every Member of Congress has an office in DC as well as offices in the communities that they represent. Schedule a 15-20 meeting in the local office of your Senators and House member to discuss your work and the importance of federal investments.
Invite Staff from Your Local Congressional Offices to Campus
Members of Congress and their staffers enjoy opportunities to engage their constituents and view federal investments in use. Contact your local office with an invitation to see your work or attend a special event.
Attend a Town-Hall Event and Ask a Question about Biomedical Research Funding
Town Hall events with Members of Congress will take place across the county. To learn about upcoming town hall meetings visit the website or call the district office of your member of Congress.
Op-Ed for Your Local Newspaper
Congressional offices pay particular attention to stories in their local newspapers. Write an op-ed that communicates the challenges decreasing federal investments are posing for your research.
Tell Us Your Story
It is important to tell the story about why funding for dental, oral and craniofacial research is important. Send us your story about the impact recent austerity measures—sequestration, government shutdown and continued uncertainty have on your research. Constituent stories will be necessary to make the case that sequestration is counterproductive and harmful to health.
Why should I advocate?
Members of Congress generally review constituent feedback for guidance on how to vote on pending legislation. While AADR staff work with Members of Congress at the leadership level, your voice is necessary to inform actions taken by individual representatives and senators.
Last year, Congress implemented devastating cuts known as sequestration and shutdown the federal government for 16 days, which had a significant impact on biomedical research, institutions and scientists. Today, enhanced advocacy on behalf of biomedical research is needed. Current law only reduces a portion of sequestration cuts and future funding levels for the National Institutes of Health need to be determined by Congress.