Who’s glad midterm election season is over? Many of us. No more campaign commercials. No more clusters of yard signs on every corner. No more robocalls during dinner. No more talk of red or blue waves.

As of Election Day, Washington, D.C., better watch its collective mouth because five elected Congress members are card-carrying members of another organization: the American Dental Association. And they’re ready to fix more than cavities!

On Nov. 6, Dr. Jeff Van Drew of Pleasantville, New Jersey, was newly elected to represent New Jersey's 2nd congressional district as a Democrat when the 116th Congress convenes in January. He will join fellow dentists and ADA members Dr. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho; Dr. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.; Dr. Brian Babin, R-Texas; and Dr. Drew Ferguson, R-Ga.

Dr. Simpson was elected to his 11th term in Congress with 60 percent of his district's votes. For his fifth term, Dr. Gosar received 69 percent of the vote. Dr. Babin received 72 percent of the votes for his third term and Dr. Ferguson received 66 percent for his second term. Dr. Van Drew received 52 percent of the vote.

"Leadership means that you work together. We have to be bipartisan," Dr. Van Drew said. "We have to work together for the greater good. We are Americans before we are anything else."

The American Dental Political Action Committee supported each of the campaigns of the five candidates, all general dentists. During the 2018 election cycle, ADPAC spent $1.97 million in supporting 390 candidates running for federal office.

Dentists — you can learn more about ADA advocacy issues in the ADA Legislative Action Center.