An article which discusses the American Alliance of TMD Organization's goals and focus: Spahl TJ,  A view from the cliff.
The Journal of Craniomandibular Practice, Apr 2005; 23(2): 81-2. (pdf)

 TMD Alliance - By-Law Highlights

•  The Alliance is not a merger or consolidation of independent professional groups.  All professional organizations will maintain individual status and integrity and will continue to function as they do now. 

•  An individual organization’s commitment is to support the Alliance only in those activities and opinions the organization agrees to and where they further agree that acting in concert enhances the probability of obtaining shared objectives.  Individual practitioners do not join the Alliance so it is no way competitive with existing professional organizations in this arena for the time, funds, or energy of the member clinicians. 

•  Membership in this Alliance consists of organizations – not individuals.

•  A majority of voting members organization present will constitute a quorum.

•  Full voting members will have at least 100 USA members and membership from a majority of USA geographic regions.

•  Affiliate members – Study clubs and regional organizations may be a part of the Alliance.  They will not have a vote on issues which require a formal vote.

•  Any Alliance organization member can abstain from participating in any position or activity.  In this case, either that organization’s abstention will be formally noted, or the remaining organizations in agreement will undersign as individual organizations rather than the Alliance.  This policy will be further developed and established by the members.  In letters written by the Alliance, the following wordage should be used: “The following member organizations support this position.”  Or, “The following member organizations oppose this position.”

•  The Alliance Board of Directors will be comprised or two representatives from each full Alliance member and one representative from each affiliate member.

•  The Alliance will be a separately established not for profit entity.

TMD Alliance - Past Accomplishments

•  Representatives have met with the American Dental Association (ADA) committees, officers and administrators concerning right to practice issues.

•  Testified at hearings and were instrumental in overturning an FDA ruling which would have negatively affected the field of TMD and craniofacial pain.

•  Practitioners and educators met with the leadership of National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) regarding educational and funding issues.

•  Following a petition from the NIDCR, we were requested to provide a representative to the prestigious Temporomandibular Joint Disorders Interagency Working Group (TMJDIWG) and Dr. Noshir Mehta of Tufts University was appointed.

•  Representatives from the Alliance met with numerous legislators regarding TMJ research funding and insurance and reimbursement issues.

•  The Alliance has reflected opinions of our member organizations on numerous topics of concern.