ADPAC video: "Health and wellbeing are not partisan"
By Jennifer Garvin
Washington — "I am a dental voter" … are you?
That's the theme of the American Dental Political Action Committee's "Get Out the Vote" video, urging dentists everywhere not to miss their chance to participate in the legislative process.
According to an ADPAC study, 68 percent of ADA members are registered to vote and 58 percent voted in the 2012 presidential election, of which the national turnout was 53.6 percent, based on U.S. election statistics.
"Health and wellbeing are not partisan," said Dr. Sara Cohen of Washington, D.C. "They affect everyone."
In the video, dentists of all ages and backgrounds share their voting memories.
Dr. Bruce Hutchison, ADPAC chair, caught the voting bug early. He recalls helping his parents place their voting slips in the milk can at at Moser's Dairy in Chicora, Penn. The milk house served as the polling place where he grew up outside of Butler, Penn., about 35 miles north of Pittsburgh.
The daughter of immigrants, Dr. Isabelle Lass of Washington, D.C., said her parents made it very clear to her at an early age that it was "important" to vote.
The dentists interviewed stress that it's not just the national election they're referring to. Voting locally is sometimes the most important part of the process.
"Local governments affect small businesses," said Dr. Paul Cohen, of Washington, D.C.
Almost every state requires advance registration, usually 30 days in advance of an election. Check your state's voter registration deadlines at Vote.org.
Watch the ADPAC video here.