Our Membership 5. Our Meetings 6. Our Affiliates 7. District Geography 8. To encourage the improvement of the health of the public, promote the art and science of dentistry, and support the professional growth of our members return to top of page Our Heritage For almost eighty years the West Coast Dental Association has maintained a significant role in the personal and professional development of dentists.
Members are the voice of dentistry in the state of Florida and the nation.
In 1912 a group of Tampa dentists met and organized what was called the Tampa District Dental Society to include a territory extending from Tampa to Lakeland, Manatee County and Pinellas County. It was the first district society formed in the State of Florida. In 1922 the State Society voted to divide the state into districts and to organize in each district a dental society which should be an integral part of the State and National Societies. A map of Florida was displayed with heavy outlines of the five districts into which the division committee had decided as most workable and read a list of counties in each. It was decided that the Tampa District Society merge its activities into the new society called the West Coast District Dental Society.