The AAPD PAC was formed to provide a vehicle whereby the AAPD can contribute funds to candidates for federal office.

The purpose of the AAPD PAC is to provide financial support to candidates for federal office who have demonstrated a serious commitment to those issues of importance to AAPD and the improved oral health of children.

An objective ranking process has been developed to evaluate potential recipients for AAPD PAC support to assure that only those candidates who have shown measurably demonstrated actions to improve children’s oral health through the federal legislative or regulatory process will receive support.

Introduction of legislation to improve children’s oral health, co-sponsoring legislation, holding hearings on legislation, writing letters to colleagues supporting legislation or regulations, assisting AAPD representatives in networking with other influential legislators and voting favorably on legislation are some of the primary issues addressed in the ranking process.

The final decisions on funding will be made through a collaborative effort by the AAPD Board of Trustees, AAPD PAC Steering Committee, AAPD Council on Government Affairs, AAPD Child Advocate and the AAPD Congressional Liaison.

Any individual AAPD member, state unit or district organization can make recommendations for candidate support through the AAPD headquarters office staff.

The officers of the PAC Steering Committee, including a chair, vice-chair, treasurer, assistant treasurer, and secretary, are appointed by the AAPD Board of Trustees. Additionally, each of the six AAPD districts has a representative on the PAC Steering Committee, as appointed by the Board of Trustees.

As with all political donations, contributions to the AAPD PAC are not tax deductible and must be paid from personal, not corporate, funds in order to be used in direct support of candidates.

Contributions from personal funds are "hard" dollars that the AAPD PAC can spend on candidate support, whereas contributions from corporate funds (such as an AAPD member’s incorporated practice) are "soft" dollars that must be applied to the AAPD PAC’s administrative expenses. In order to maximize the AAPD PAC’s effectiveness, the PAC Steering Committee encourages members to donate from personal funds.

$5,000. See below for a listing of the various AAPD PAC donor recognition levels.

For for the 2013-14 election cycle the limit is $2,600 per election. Note that the primary and general election each count as separate elections.

Your generous support of this important effort to improve the oral health of children and further issues of importance to the specialty of pediatric dentistry is strongly encouraged.

Federal guidelines require that PAC contributions to be utilized for candidate support come from personal funds. Contributions from corporate entities must be used for administrative purposes.

All PAC contributions will be screened and any from persons outside of the restricted class (i.e., persons not voting members or staff of AAPD) will be returned.

The AAPD PAC Steering Committee has determined various categories of giving, based on an annual cycle of donations. These categories are: 

Patriot - $1,000 and above
Cabinet - $500 to $999
Congress - $250 to $499
Ambassador - $100 to $249
Junior Ambassador (Students) - $25

For additional information regarding the AAPD Political Action Committee contact any member of the PAC Steering Committee or AAPD Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel C. Scott Litch at oed@aapd.org.