The Maryland State Dental Association represents and supports the dental profession in its efforts to provide high quality, ethical oral health care to the public and is the professional association for dentists in the state of Maryland. It is a constituent of the American Dental Association. There are also twelve component dental societies geographically located throughout Maryland. These three entities make up the tripartite membership system; the national level, the state level and the local level. The Maryland State Dental Association has been serving the dental community since 1883.