Hello Amazing AADA Members and Fellow RDAs,

I am beyond honored and excited to serve as your Chairman for the Alberta Dental Assistants Association this term. This role is more than just a title for me — it’s a calling to stand alongside you, advocate for you, and fight for the recognition and respect we deserve.

My journey into dental assisting began after graduating from the Calgary Columbia College Dental Assisting Program in November 2022. Before that, I earned my Bachelor of Kinesiology from the University of Regina in 2017. While I may be relatively new to dental assisting, my passion for giving back runs deep — it’s been a part of me since 2013, when I first began volunteering during university.

When the Calgary Dental Assistants Association visited our class at Columbia, it felt like a light bulb went off — this was how I could make a difference in our profession. When Maeghan mentioned they were looking for volunteers, it instantly felt right to step up. I joined the Calgary board just before graduating, and after two years of working locally, I knew I wanted to do even more. That’s when I found myself drawn to the AADA, ready to get involved at the provincial level.

Now, I’m here, with a heart full of purpose, determined to fight for our rights: for better wages, better treatment, and a better future for all Registered Dental Assistants. We are not just “assistants” — we are critical members of the healthcare team, and our work too often goes unnoticed. But not anymore.

Through the AADA, we have the power to reach organizations, regulators, and even work alongside our counterparts at the Canadian Dental Assistants Association to create change, not just here in Alberta, but across the country. And believe me, change is coming. We are currently working on several important projects aimed at uplifting RDAs, and as your Chairman, I am all in.

The truth is: the dental office does not run without us.
We deserve to be respected, recognized, and fairly compensated for our hard work, for the long days, the skipped lunches, and the compassionate care we give, often without even being asked. We are healthcare providers, and it’s time we are treated as such.

But here’s the truth: we can’t do it without YOU.

The AADA is volunteer-run, and it’s only through your support and your membership that we are able to keep fighting for our profession’s future. Your voice matters—your membership matters. Together, we are unstoppable.

Please, encourage your friends, colleagues, and every RDA you know to join their local, provincial, and national associations. Every membership strengthens our voice. Every voice brings us closer to the respect and recognition we deserve.

Let’s work together to build a stronger, brighter future for RDAs in Alberta.
Because we are worth it. Because we are needed. Because we are the heart of dental healthcare.

With pride and determination,
Samantha Popp

BKin, RDA
Chairman, Alberta Dental Assistants Association (AADA)