{"id":29662,"date":"2025-09-02T10:12:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T15:12:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aae.org\/specialty\/?p=29662"},"modified":"2025-09-03T08:48:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T13:48:07","slug":"membership-has-its-privileges-and-its-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aae.org\/specialty\/membership-has-its-privileges-and-its-purpose\/","title":{"rendered":"Membership Has Its Privileges \u2014 And Its Purpose \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"AAE Membership Is More Than a Benefit. It<\/strong>\u2019s a Professional Imperative.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Each year, as we enter our annual membership drive at the AAE, I find myself reflecting on two essential questions: \u201cWhy do members renew?\u201d and \u201cHow do we get non-members to join?\u201d<\/p>\n

Membership, after all, is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. It means different things to different people. For some, it\u2019s about access to cutting-edge education and training. For others, it\u2019s a connection to a professional network or a platform for giving back. Or it could provide resources, not available elsewhere, like the leading publication and premier AAE member benefit, our Journal of Endodontics (JOE<\/em>), or marketing and communications resources. Regardless, across the board, one truth holds: Membership must offer value. And not just in a transactional sense, but in the form of purpose (advocacy), community (networking), and professional empowerment (education and training, career advancement, resources and tools, and support for the specialty).<\/p>\n

Years ago, American Express (AmEx) had a marketing campaign that redefined what it meant to be part of a membership community with the now-iconic campaign, \u201cMembership Has Its Privileges.\u201d <\/em>Up to this point, credit cards functioned solely as a transactional tool to facilitate the purchase of goods and services. Typically, there were no fees \u2014 or rewards \u2014 for the consumer. American Express changed all of that! By convincing consumers there was value<\/em> to owning and using an AmEx card, consumers adopted a pay-to-play mindset and were suddenly willing to pay to use the card.<\/p>\n

This campaign launched a revolution in the credit card market and today, consumers regularly pay annual fees\u2014sometimes thousands of dollars\u2014for the perceived value of carrying a specific card. And it all started with the idea that membership, when done right, should offer more than just function\u2014it should deliver meaning! From green to gold and black to platinum, with perks from cash back to lounge access and flight upgrades, the credit card industry has found a way to convince their members that there is value <\/em>in owning their card.<\/p>\n

So what does that mean for the AAE? How do we create and deliver that kind of value? Not just to inspire loyalty, but to cultivate leadership, foster connection, and elevate our specialty?<\/p>\n

A Strong Foundation \u2026 With Room to Grow<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Today, approximately 82% of the endodontists in the United States belong to the AAE, significantly higher than the majority of other dental specialty organizations and general dental membership, which has been struggling for years and currently hovers around 50%. AAE\u2019s resident-to-member conversion rate is 92%, and our overall retention rate floats at about 94%.<\/p>\n

While these are strong numbers, we are confident we can do better! We believe we can offer something meaningful for everyone, across every stage of their professional journey such as:<\/p>\n

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  1. Clinical Excellence and Education at Every Level. <\/strong>AAE provides unmatched access to world-class education, designed to keep members on the leading edge of endodontics.\n