Christian Medical and Dental Associations
Encyclopedia
The Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA) is made up of the Christian Medical Association and the Christian Dental Association. As of 2011, CMDA had approximately 16,000 members. It is the United States affiliate of the International Christian Medical and Dental Association.
The membership consists of doctors, dentists
, and other allied health professionals. Most are evangelical
but there are members from non-evangelical denominations.
. These CMDA affiliated health providers can be found by health consumers using a public database hosted by the national CMDA web site. The database has been reported to receive about 65,000 hits per month.
Medical Education International (MEI) builds relationships with physicians, dentists and students in other countries through medical education and training. MEI teams respond to requests of local medical leaders and/or Christian workers to teach topics that will improve local health care, often in some of the least known and remote parts of the world.
CMDA's Global Health Outreach (GHO) provides opportunities for medical, dental and other healthcare professionals to treat the physical and spiritual needs of afflicted/impoverished peoples. This is often done in the context of short-term medical and dental missionary service. CMDA believes this to be an important aspect of their organization in accordance with the biblical teachings of the book of Matthew (22:39; 25:36; 28:19). CMDA's GHO also partners with local pastors, missionaries, and various local organizations in an effort to ensure an on-going local ministry persists following the departure of a short-term medical/dental missionary team.
Nationally, CMDA partners with organizations such as Med Send and Global Missions Health Conference to help enable and equip doctors for medical missions.
The Washington Office links our members with Congress, the White House, federal agencies and policy organizations; provides congressional testimony; presents life-honoring perspectives through the national media; and publishes resources on vital issues.
The Washington office also directs the Freedom2Care (www.Freedom2Care.org) coalition of over 50 organizations to advance conscience rights in health care.
The membership consists of doctors, dentists
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
, and other allied health professionals. Most are evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
but there are members from non-evangelical denominations.
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
. These CMDA affiliated health providers can be found by health consumers using a public database hosted by the national CMDA web site. The database has been reported to receive about 65,000 hits per month.
Campus/University Ministry
CMDA has a large campus ministry throughout the U.S. A team of 50 regional staff members organize campus Bible studies, mission teams, leadership training and outreach functions on 326 medical, dental, osteopathic, podiatry and allied health schools. For a formal list of these campus organizations go to Campus & Community MinistriesMissionary Focus
CMDA has a large missionary focus. The Center for Medical Missions (CMM) provides pre-field training, on-site consultations, networking, ministry resources, monthly (the e-Pistle) and semi-monthly (Your Call) publications and scholarships for international rotations. CMM currently serves over 760 students and residents through their "Your Call" program, which is designed to help those with a call to medical missions stay focused on that call throughout their years of preparation.Medical Education International (MEI) builds relationships with physicians, dentists and students in other countries through medical education and training. MEI teams respond to requests of local medical leaders and/or Christian workers to teach topics that will improve local health care, often in some of the least known and remote parts of the world.
CMDA's Global Health Outreach (GHO) provides opportunities for medical, dental and other healthcare professionals to treat the physical and spiritual needs of afflicted/impoverished peoples. This is often done in the context of short-term medical and dental missionary service. CMDA believes this to be an important aspect of their organization in accordance with the biblical teachings of the book of Matthew (22:39; 25:36; 28:19). CMDA's GHO also partners with local pastors, missionaries, and various local organizations in an effort to ensure an on-going local ministry persists following the departure of a short-term medical/dental missionary team.
Nationally, CMDA partners with organizations such as Med Send and Global Missions Health Conference to help enable and equip doctors for medical missions.
Public Policy
The Christian Medical Association's Washington office provides a national voice for members on public policy issues such as health care, conscience rights, human trafficking, international health, abortion, HIV-AIDS, human cloning, abstinence, stem cell research, assisted suicide and more.The Washington Office links our members with Congress, the White House, federal agencies and policy organizations; provides congressional testimony; presents life-honoring perspectives through the national media; and publishes resources on vital issues.
The Washington office also directs the Freedom2Care (www.Freedom2Care.org) coalition of over 50 organizations to advance conscience rights in health care.