FOR YOUR INFORMATION................October 5, 1988


     The Federal Trade Commission has denied a petition from the
American Dental Association to modify a 1982 order with the
group.  The ADA had asked the FTC to add a provision stating
that the order does not prohibit the Association from enforcing
its current rules regarding dentists' claims of specialization. 

     According to the ADA's petition, the FTC is currently
investigating the ADA's restrictions on specialization claims.

     The 1982 order settled charges that the Association ille-
gally restricted members' advertising and reduced competition. 
The order prohibits the ADA from restricting truthful, nondecep-
tive advertising, but provides that the organization may adopt
and enforce ethical guidelines governing advertisements that the
ADA reasonably believes are false and deceptive.

     In denying the petition, the Commission said that the ADA
did not show that changed conditions require reopening the order
or that public interest considerations warrant modifying the
order.  In addition, "As a matter of general policy, the Commis-
sion believes that it is not in the public interest to reopen an
order where substantial questions exist about a respondent's
compliance with the very provision sought to be modified."

     Copies of the Commission's letter are available from the
FTC's Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th St. and Pennsylvania
Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-326-2222; TTY 202-326-2502

                             # # # 

MEDIA CONTACT:      Susan Ticknor, Office of Public Affairs, 
                    202-326-2181

STAFF CONTACT:      Elizabeth Gee, Bureau of Competition,
                    202-326-2756

(Docket No. 9093)

(ADA2)