New Jersey Dental Association (NJDA)
Your guide to organized dentistry in New Jersey: membership, the annual meeting, local component societies, the state dental board, and CE/license-renewal requirements.
About the New Jersey Dental Association
The New Jersey Dental Association (NJDA), founded in 1870 and headquartered at One Dental Plaza in North Brunswick, is the ADA constituent (state) society for New Jersey. NJDA's mission is to serve and support its members and to foster the advancement of quality, ethical oral healthcare for the public. With the majority of the state's dentists as members, it is one of the largest state dental associations in the country.
NJDA organizes its members across 12 local component (largely county-based) societies and connects them into the tripartite ADA structure (national/state/local). Governance runs through an annual House of Delegates that elects officers each spring. For the 2025-26 term the officers include President Dr. Amit Vora, President-Elect Dr. Antoinette Tauk, Vice President Dr. Andrew Dietz, Treasurer Dr. Maria Ambrosio, Secretary Dr. Janhavi Rane, Speaker of the House Dr. Ed Tirpack, and Editor Dr. Harvey Nisselson.
The association's professional staff is led by CEO Revira (Reva) Brennan. NJDA advocates on dental insurance reform, patient payment rights, scope-of-practice, and Medicaid issues, and it issues member advisories on insurer practices.
Annual Meeting: NJDA Annual Convention (held alongside the Annual House of Delegates / Annual Session)
Spring (late April / early May); recent conventions held in Bridgewater, NJ. The 2026 NJDA Annual Convention returns to Bridgewater May 1-2, 2026.
NJDA's Annual Convention combines a two-day CE program and exhibit hall with the Association's governance activities. The House of Delegates meeting (where officers are installed) is the key governance event.
Component & Local Dental Societies
Joining the NJDA typically also enrolls a dentist in their local component society.New Jersey has 12 component societies:
Atlantic-Cape May Dental Society
Atlantic & Cape May counties
Bergen County Dental Society
Bergen County
Central Dental Society
Central NJ region
Essex County Dental Society
Essex County (Newark area)
Hudson County Dental Society
Hudson County (Jersey City area)
Mercer Dental Society
Mercer County (Trenton area)
Middlesex County Dental Society
Middlesex County (New Brunswick area)
Monmouth-Ocean County Dental Society
Monmouth & Ocean counties
Passaic County Dental Society
Passaic County
Southern Dental Society
Southern NJ region (Camden/South Jersey)
Tri-County Dental Society
three-county area (Morris/Sussex/Warren region)
Union County Dental Society
Union County
Licensing Board
New Jersey State Board of Dentistry, within the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs (Department of Law & Public Safety)
The board licenses and regulates dentists — distinct from the NJDA, which is a voluntary membership and advocacy body.
www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/denCE & License Renewal
- Hours: 40 hours
- Cycle: Biennial (every 2 years)
- Mandatory topics: Mandatory hours (10 of the 40): 3 hours CPR; 3 hours pharmacology and internal medicine; 1 hour professional ethics and New Jersey law/jurisprudence; 1 hour prescription opioids; 2 hours infection control and prevention. Distance-learning cap: no more than 20 hours per period via electronic-media distance learning (live synchronous webinars count as in-person/live).
Always verify current requirements with the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry, within the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs (Department of Law & Public Safety) before renewal.
Dental Schools in New Jersey
New Jersey Dental Market Snapshot
- One of the largest, densest state dental markets; NJDA spans 12 component societies covering all regions.
- Major metros: Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Edison/New Brunswick (Middlesex), Trenton, Camden, the Bergen County NYC-suburban corridor, and the Jersey Shore (Monmouth/Ocean).
- Highly diverse, affluent suburban market adjacent to both NYC and Philadelphia. Significant Spanish-speaking populations in Newark, Paterson, Camden, and Hudson County; substantial South Asian, Korean, and other communities in Middlesex/Bergen. Multilingual front-desk handling is valuable.
AI Front Desk for New Jersey Practices
New Jersey packs one of the densest dental markets in the country into a small footprint, with NJDA's 12 county societies covering affluent NYC and Philadelphia suburbs plus diverse urban cores like Newark, Paterson, and Camden. An AI dental receptionist helps these practices capture high-value suburban patients, handle Spanish and South Asian language calls, and book recalls after hours without expanding front-desk staff. With NJ's biennial 40-hour CE (including mandated CPR, infection control, and opioid hours) keeping dentists busy, automating scheduling and intake protects clinical time.
New Jersey Dental Association FAQ
How many CE hours do New Jersey dentists need to renew a license?
New Jersey dentists must complete 40 hours, biennial (every 2 years). Mandatory topics include Mandatory hours (10 of the 40): 3 hours CPR; 3 hours pharmacology and internal medicine; 1 hour professional ethics and New Jersey law/jurisprudence; 1 hour prescription opioids; 2 hours infection control and prevention. Distance-learning cap: no more than 20 hours per period via electronic-media distance learning (live synchronous webinars count as in-person/live).. Always confirm current rules with the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry, within the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs (Department of Law & Public Safety).
What is the difference between the NJDA and the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry, within the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs (Department of Law & Public Safety)?
The New Jersey Dental Association is a voluntary membership and advocacy organization for dentists. The New Jersey State Board of Dentistry, within the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs (Department of Law & Public Safety) is the government body that licenses dentists and enforces regulations. Membership in the association is optional; licensure through the board is mandatory to practice.
Sources
- www.njda.org/about-us — NJDA founding 1870, HQ One Dental Plaza North Brunswick, 12 societies, CEO Reva Brennan
- www.njda.org/about-us/history---mission-statement — founding/mission, "majority of NJ dentists" / one of largest state associations
- www.njda.org/home/2025/05/16/dr.-amit-vora-installed-as-njda's-first-indian-american-president — President Dr. Amit Vora & 2025-26 officers; convention Bridgewater May 1-2, 2026
- www.njda.org/about-us/component-societies — list of 12 component societies
- www.njda.org/ce-events-advertising/continuing-education/nj-state-board-ce-requirements — 40 hrs/2 yrs, mandatory hour breakdown, distance-learning rules
- www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/den/Documents/CE-Requirements0424.pdf — NJ Board CE requirements (official)
- sdm.rutgers.edu/ — Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (Newark, only NJ dental school, CODA-accredited)
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