50 Facts about OMSPAC

Historical Facts

During the 1971 House of Delegates at the American Society of Oral Surgeons’ Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., the Pennsylvania and California Societies of Oral Surgeons presented a resolution that resulted in the formation of the Oral Surgery Political Action Committee, the Association’s political fund.
OMSPAC’s first Chair, James B. Edwards, DMD, became Governor of South Carolina and served as Secretary of Energy under President Ronald Reagan. The James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina, the only dental school in the state, was named in honor of him.
Five past OMSPAC Chairs also served as AAOMS Presidents: S. Elmer Bear of Virginia; Daniel J. Daley Jr., DDS, MS, of Pennsylvania; and Douglas W. Fain, DDS, MD, FACS, of Kansas; Bernard C. Kingsbury Jr., DDS, of California; and Richard J. Simeone, DDS, of Maryland.
OMSPAC was originally called OSPAC, the Oral Surgery Political Action Committee. The name change resulted from the Association becoming the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in 1978.
OMSPAC’s membership participation in the first year was 61 percent.
OMSPAC is one of the earliest PACs in the United States.
OMSPAC raised $30,000 its first year. OMSPAC now raises more than $400,000 annually.
OMSPAC supported 33 congressional candidates running for election during the first election cycle it was active. OMSPAC supported 93 congressional candidates in the 2020 election cycle.
OMSPAC’s candidate contribution success rate in its first year was 89 percent – the same as it was in the 2020 election cycle.
OMSPAC became subject to oversight by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) when it was created by the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) in 1973.
In 1973, OMSPAC was one of 1,100 federally registered connected PACs. Now there are more than 4,600 federally registered connected PACs.
In 1979, OMSPAC displayed its first booth at an AAOMS Annual Meeting.
In 1988, OMSPAC began handing out contributor pins and ribbons at the AAOMS Annual Meeting. OMSPAC continues to distribute contributor ribbons and pins for five-, 10-, 15- and 20-year contributors.
OMSPAC’s first publication was called the OMSPAC Bulletin.
In 1994, OMSPAC launched ImPACt, a monthly print publication.
In 2004, OMSPAC hosted its first PAC State Chair training session at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
In 2007, OMSPAC named 2019-20 AAOMS President Victor L. Nannini, DDS, FACS, of New York and Bruce Huberman, DMD, of New Jersey – who were OMSPAC State Chairs at the time – the first recipients of the OMSPAC Fundraiser of the Year award.
In 2008, OMSPAC launched its website. OMSPAC.org has become a valuable resource to AAOMS members.
OMSPAC’s 2010 Chair, Daniel J. Klemmedson, DDS, MD, currently serves as ADA President.
For more than 10 years, OMSPAC has been among the top 25 contributing healthcare PACs in the nation.
OMSPAC hosts an annual reception for contributors during the AAOMS Annual Meeting to thank them for their support.
OMSPAC contributes approximately $450,000 to federal candidates each two-year election cycle.
In 2017, Cynthia E. Winne, DMD, MPH, MS, of Maine became the first female member of the OMSPAC Board.
In 2018, Dana C. Jackson, DDS, of Maryland became the first African-American member of the OMSPAC Board.
OMSPAC has contributed more than $5 million to federal candidates since 1971.

Operational Facts

OMSPAC is a federal political action committee (PAC), which is a legal entity created to permit individuals with common concerns to pool their money to support like-minded federal candidates and campaigns.
OMSPAC is a nonpartisan political action committee that operates exclusively to raise funds to make contributions to congressional candidates for federal office.
OMSPAC does not contribute to presidential candidates.
OMSPAC is the only PAC that solely represents the interests of oral and maxillofacial surgeons.
All OMSPAC candidate contributions are reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and visible to the public on the agency’s website.
Several types of PACs are subject to different FEC regulations. OMSPAC is a “separate segregated fund” (SSF), which is commonly referred to as a “connected PAC.”
SSFs/connected PACs are political committees established and administered by corporations, labor groups, membership organizations or trade associations because FEC regulations prohibit such entities from using their general treasury funds to make campaign contributions. These PACs can solicit contributions only from individuals associated with a connected or sponsoring organization. OMSPAC’s connected organization is AAOMS.
OMSPAC encourages OMSs to personally deliver OMSPAC candidate contributions to provide an opportunity to educate the candidate about the OMS specialty and discuss issues impacting OMS patients and practices.
OMSPAC is NOT a Super PAC, also known as an independent expenditure-only committee, which may raise unlimited sums from corporations, unions, associations and individuals before spending unlimited sums to advocate for or against political candidates. Unlike traditional PACs, Super PACs are prohibited from donating directly to political candidates, and their spending must not be coordinated with that of the candidates they benefit.
OMSPAC is legally permitted to only solicit funds from a restricted class. In this case, OMSPAC’s restricted class includes AAOMS fellows/members and ROAAOMS members, their families and certain categories of AAOMS employees. OMSPAC cannot solicit or accept funds from any foreign nationals.
AAOMS dues cannot be used toward OMSPAC contributions. Contributions to OMSPAC are completely voluntary.
OMSPAC contributions received from AAOMS members’ personal banking accounts can be used to support federal candidates’ campaigns.
OMSPAC contributions received from AAOMS members’ business accounts are considered corporate contributions; therefore, they may be used toward only OMSPAC’s administrative expenses.
OMSPAC supports AAOMS advocacy efforts by contributing toward the Association’s federal lobbying efforts.
AAOMS restricted class members may contribute up to $5,000 per year to OMSPAC.
AAOMS members who contribute to OMSPAC are eligible to request a candidate contribution.
The OMSPAC Board of Directors is comprised of 10 oral and maxillofacial surgeons from around the country.
The OMSPAC Board has six voting members, one from each of AAOMS’s Districts. They determine which candidates receive OMSPAC contributions. The OMSPAC Chair votes only in the case of a tie.
The OMSPAC Board’s non-voting positions are Immediate Past Chair, ROAAOMS Representative, Liaison to the Committee on Governmental Affairs (CGA) and Secretary, which is held by an AAOMS staff member.
OMSPAC’s voting members serve a seven-year term with terms staggered so no more than one voting member’s term expires annually. Every voting member ascends to the Chair position.
OMSPAC can give up to $5,000 to a candidate’s campaign committee per election (primary, general or special).
OMSPAC is supported by a network of PAC State Chairs, who provide insight on congressional candidates to OMSPAC Board voting members and educate AAOMS members in their state about the important role OMSPAC plays in AAOMS advocacy efforts.
OMSPAC contributions are not deductible for federal tax purposes.
OMSPAC member contributions are based on a calendar cycle. Prior to 2018, contributions were based on a rolling 12-month cycle.
OMSPAC considers several factors when determining which candidates to support, including electoral history, leadership roles, committee membership and past healthcare positions.