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NJDA Lobby Day: Six Hours, 120 Legislative Offices, and a Clear Message for Oral Health
Above: NJDA advocates outside the Statehouse after a full day of legislative meetings and issue brief deliveries
NJDA’s recent Lobby Day in Trenton was a powerful reminder that advocacy does not always require a room full of people. Sometimes, a focused group of committed dentists can make a meaningful impact in just a few hours.
Over the course of six hours, NJDA leaders met with key legislators and delivered issue briefs to all 120 members of the New Jersey Legislature. The goal was simple: ensure that oral health, patient access, dental benefits, and the realities of running a dental practice remain part of the legislative decision-making process.
NJDA President Dr. Antoinette Tauk, outgoing Council on Governmental and Public Affairs Chair Dr. Mark Vitale, and Dr. Kim Goldenbaum, one of NJDA’s newest advocacy voices, represented the profession with clarity, professionalism, and purpose. Together, they helped make sure policymakers heard directly from dentists about the issues affecting patients and practices across New Jersey.
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NJDA leaders with Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, who proudly wore NJDA’s tooth pin during a meaningful conversation on dentistry’s legislative priorities.
During the day, NJDA met with Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin to discuss Dental Loss Ratio and the need for greater transparency and accountability in dental benefit plans. The conversation focused on a simple but important point: patients and employers deserve to know that premium dollars are being used to support actual care.
A productive conversation on Joint Negotiation and the need to strengthen the voice of dentists in insurance contracting.
NJDA also met with Senator Joe Lagana and Assemblyman Chris Tully to discuss Joint Negotiation and the need to give dentists a stronger voice when dealing with insurance carriers. As dental practices continue to face administrative burdens and limited negotiating power, NJDA emphasized that fairer contracting conditions are essential to protecting access to care.
The team also had an opportunity to speak with Assemblyman Kenyatta Stewart about Oral Health Literacy, the importance of using mouth guards during sports, and even dental care access in correctional facilities.
We also spent some time with Asw. Shama Haider, chair of the Assembly Children, Families and Food Insecurity, appreciating her sponsorship of the Healthy Smiles Act and brainstorm how to address RSDM student food insecurity challenges as well as expanding access to dental services to children.
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A productive conversation with the lone Scientist in the Legislature as we bonded over the importance of trusting the Science on Fluoride and ensuring Dental Hygienist have access to this Allied Health Care Loan Redemption Program.
In a meeting with Senator Andrew Zwicker, NJDA discussed the Allied Health Care Professional Loan Redemption Program, the importance of supporting the oral health workforce, and the broader need to keep science and evidence-based decision-making at the center of health policy.
NJDA met with Assembly Appropriations Chair Lisa Swain to discuss the DLN Program and the case for a modest budget increase that would generate substantial donated care for New Jersey's most vulnerable patients.
We had intended to have other meetings with Legislators, but the days schedule made it difficult. However, the fact that every legislator we engaged to meet all made the effort to see us.
The day also captured something important visually. From conversations with legislators to group photos in the Statehouse, the images from Lobby Day tell the story of a profession that is present, engaged, and ready to lead.
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A quick Lobby Day moment between meetings, capturing the teamwork and energy behind NJDA advocacy.
NJDA is grateful to Dr. Tauk, Dr. Vitale, and Dr. Goldenbaum for giving their time and voice to this effort. Their participation helped reinforce that dentists are not only healthcare providers and small business owners, but also essential advocates for patients, communities, and the future of oral health in New Jersey.
Lobby Day was one day, but the work continues. As New Jersey enters a busy legislative season, NJDA will continue building relationships, educating policymakers, and making sure dentistry is well represented wherever decisions are being made.
Special Thanks to NJBIA and NEW JOBS PAC
NJDA also extends a special thank you to the New Jersey Business & Industry Association and NEW JOBS PAC for helping facilitate our meeting with Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin.
Our membership in these two organizations has allowed organized dentistry to be more fully integrated into New Jersey’s broader business advocacy community. That matters because dentistry sits at the intersection of health care, small business, workforce development, and consumer protection.
Through these partnerships, NJDA continues to reinforce two important messages with legislators and stakeholders: oral health is health, and dentists are small business owners. By working alongside the organized business community, we are helping ensure that the challenges facing dental practices are understood not only as health policy issues, but also as economic and small business issues that affect communities across New Jersey.
Their support helped make this important conversation possible, and we are grateful for their continued partnership in ensuring dentistry has a strong voice in the policy discussions shaping our state.
