Founded in 1937, the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) provides a focus for meeting the challenge to improve oral health. The principal purposes of this organization are (1) to protect and improve the public's health by the study and creation of standards for the practice of dental public health, (2) to grant and issue dental public health certificates to dentists who have successfully completed the prescribed training needed for the practice of dental public health, and (3) to ensure continuing competency of Diplomates.