Participation in the ADA Seal program is voluntary. Commercial products are evaluated upon the request of a distributor or manufacturer. Any company may submit appropriate products to the Council for consideration for Acceptance.
Companies pay a submission fee when they apply for the Seal to help offset the cost of evaluation. Submission fees are a one-time, non-refundable fee required with the application. Annual maintenance fees are billed to the company every January. Participation fees as of January 2017 are:
Submission: $15,000 Maintenance: $4,000
Products which meet the ADA Seal Program’s general criteria for Acceptance with respect to safety, efficacy, composition, labeling, package inserts, advertising and other promotional material will be granted the ADA Seal of Acceptance. Notification of a product’s Acceptance into the ADA’s Seal Program will be made in writing by the Council. A company may not begin use of the ADA Seal of Acceptance unless and until it has executed the ADA’s standard ADA Seal license agreement and complied with the ADA’s advertising requirements. The Council may require a company to use an authorized statement in conjunction with its use of the ADA Seal. Acceptance is renewable and may be reconsidered at any time. If there is a change in the manufacturer or distributor of a product, the Seal of Acceptance is withdrawn automatically and the license agreement expires simultaneously.
Products that are obsolete, substantially inferior, ineffective or dangerous to the health of the user will be declared unaccepted. When it is in the best interest of the public or the profession, the Council may submit reports on unaccepted products to the Editor for publication in The Journal of the American Dental Association or in another Association medium.