NADL’s mission is to create a vibrant dental laboratory profession through increasing industry awareness, building community and delivering critical resources.During the first Trump Administration, tariff proposals impacting dentistry, specifically dental laboratory products, were on the table for implementation.
Sources : https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-21/your-imported-teeth-are-a-battlefield-as-trump-takes-on-trade?embedded-checkout=true; https://dentallabnetwork.com/forums/threads/nadl-response-to-bloomberg-article-on-dental-laboratory-imports.25947/
With the re-election of President Trump for a second term, tariffs remain a cornerstone of the administration's policy platform. While final proposals outlining the specific products and industries affected by new tariffs are still in development, NADL’s Board of Directors has proactively established the following positions to prepare for potential scenarios where tariffs may be implemented.
Universal Tariffs
Acknowledgement of Intent: NADL recognizes that tariffs can be used as an economic tool intended to bring work back to domestic manufacturers.
Position: NADL would oppose universal tariffs that apply to purchases of raw material or equipment from any foreign country unless materials and equipment used for the making of dental restorations and other oral health care devices are exempted from the application of the tariff.
Rationale: Much of the raw material and equipment used in dentistry and the dental laboratory market is manufactured outside the United States, making universal tariffs counterproductive to the industry.
Limited Scope Tariffs
Acknowledgement of Intent: NADL recognizes that tariffs may be applied with the goal of returning work to domestic manufacturers.
Position: NADL would not take a formal position on tariffs that are limited in scope, such as those applied only to finished restorations from specific countries or regions.
Rationale: Limited scope tariffs are unlikely to bring production back to the U.S.; instead, they would result in a shift of offshore production to other foreign countries or regions outside the tariff scope.