Re-envision

Re-envision the model for oral health education. 

ADEA Selects 2024 Enid A. Neidle Scholar

Katie Pudwill, M.S., a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Dental Hygiene at the University of South Dakota, was selected as the 2024 Enid A. Neidle Scholar. The Enid A. Neidle Scholar-in-Residence receives a stipend to engage in a cumulative fellowship that consists of visits to ADEA headquarters in Washington, DC, and protected time at their home institution to pursue research, networking and leadership development opportunities. While in Washington, DC, and through virtual engagements, the scholar gains a distinct perspective on a wide variety of topics impacting dental education and women, including issues related to oral health, health care, gender equity, diversity and inclusion, leadership development, faculty development and advancement, workforce patterns, research, global health, the academic health professions and gender-based issues. 

Each scholar is assigned a senior ADEA staff member(s) and is involved in a variety of ADEA activities in addition to their primary research project. Each scholar’s experience is unique and tailored to fit their individual needs and capitalizes on current and contemporary issues within academic dentistry, health care and our rapidly changing world.  

During the Neidle program, Ms. Pudwill conducted research on how faculty gender influences variances in research and service workload percentages and its impact on women’s career advancement in oral health education. 

ADEA Presents at the WHO Global Oral Health Meeting

Marsha A. Pyle, D.D.S., M.Ed., ADEA Senior Chief of Knowledge, Engagement and Development and ADEA Senior Scholar-in-Residence, represented ADEA during the WHO Global Oral Health Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Pyle presented the work of International Federation of Dental Educators and Associations from the invitational leadership meeting at the Association for Dental Education in Europe meeting in Leuven, Belgium, in September 2024. She joined Prof. Corrado Paganelli (IFDEA); Prof. Brian O’Connell, President of ADEE; Ms. Jill Rethman, President of International Federation of Dental Hygienists; and Prof. Ana Wintergerst from the Latin American group (OFEDO-UDUAL). The presentation highlighted oral health professional education associations’ work to advance the WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan.  

Advisory Committee on Innovation, Clinic Education and Public Health Holds Inaugural Meeting

The Advisory Committee on Innovation, Clinic Education and Public Health (ACICEPH) had its first meeting during the ADEA Joint Advisory Committee Meeting in September 2024 at ADEA headquarters in Washington, DC. Presentations were given about: 

  • Digital innovations, including the integration of augmented and virtual reality in dental training, artificial intelligence (AI) in designing removable partial dentures and the transition toward a fully digital workflow in dental clinics; 
  • Global impact of technologies, such as intraoral scanning, CAD/CAM, haptics and AI in dental education, focusing on how these tools shape the future of dental training while preserving foundational skills; and  
  • Integration of virtual reality (VR) haptics in dental education, emphasizing its role in improving students’ learning curves and self-confidence in clinical settings. 

ADEA Announces New Task Force on Envisioning and Transforming the Future of Oral Health & Education

ADEA announced the formation of the ADEA Task Force on Envisioning and Transforming the Future of Oral Health & Education (ADEA TF – ETFOHE), led by Co-chairs Nicole Kimmes, D.D.S., Dean and Clinical Professor at the University of New England College of Dental Medicine, and Ryan L. Quock, D.D.S., Distinguished Teaching Professor at the UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry and Past Chair of the ADEA Board of Directors. A Steering Committee made up of ADEA members will lead the work. The task force will employ subcommittees, focus groups and other methods to ensure a broad and representative engagement across our membership, oral health professionals and other health professions. 

ADEA Leads 2024 Virtual and In-person Caucuses to Shape Policy to ADA House of Delegates

In October 2024, ADEA engaged members through both virtual and in-person caucuses to discuss and evaluate the American Dental Association (ADA) House of Delegates (HOD) resolutions with significant implications for oral health education and practice. 

The ADEA Virtual Caucus convened on Oct. 2, 2024, via Zoom, with 162 ADEA members participating in discussions on 20 resolutions. This platform enabled members to provide valuable feedback on priority resolutions in preparation for the ADA HOD sessions. 

On Oct. 18, 2024, ADEA conducted its ADEA in-person caucus in New Orleans, LA. Key attendees included Karen P. West, D.M.D., M.P.H., ADEA President and CEO; Susan H. Kass, M.Ed., Ed.D., RDH, ADEA Chair of the Board; Ana N. López Fuentes, D.M.D., M.P.H., ADEA Immediate Past Chair of the Board; Marsha A. Pyle, D.D.S., M.Ed., ADEA Senior Chief of Knowledge, Engagement and Development; and Deans from various dental institutions. Both virtual and in-person sessions were presented and moderated by Gülsün Gül, D.D.S., M.B.A., M.P.H., M.S., ADEA Chief of Innovation, Clinical Education and Public Health, focused on refining ADEA’s strategic approach through an in-depth review of 15 ADA HOD resolutions. 

During the ADA HOD sessions held from Oct. 19–22, 2024, Dr. West, Dr. Kass and Dr. López Fuentes delivered 10 impactful testimonies addressing critical issues relevant to oral health education and practice. These efforts highlight ADEA’s unwavering commitment to advocating for its members and shaping policies that advance oral health education and practice. 

ADEA Releases Report on Dental School Clinics and Their Involvement With Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

In March 2024, ADEA released the “Dental Schools in the Community: Expanding Access to Oral Health Care Services” report on the involvement of U.S. dental schools in the provision of oral health care services and their engagement with government programs such as Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Based on an analysis of the results of the 2021-22 ADEA U.S. Dental School Clinics Survey, this policy research report details the revenue sources and patient demographics of dental school clinics. 

ADEA Releases “Dentists of Tomorrow 2024”

In December 2024, ADEA published the annual summary report titled, “Dentists of Tomorrow 2024.” The study showcases the journey of U.S. dental schools’ predoctoral senior class of 2024—including the influences on and their reasons for pursuing dentistry, their dental school experiences, plans upon graduation and the investment in their careers. When possible, the 2024 survey respondents’ answers were compared with their 2019 counterparts. Further, the research analyzed the responses of predoctoral senior students from historically underrepresented race and ethnicity (HURE) groups in dentistry to better understand their journeys and experiences. This year, the study also looked at changes in student-perceived levels of wellbeing and their intra- and interprofessional activities during dental school. ADEA members will have access to the summary report and an online storyboard featuring interactive charts and talking points.  

ADEA created individualized reports with the 2024 ADEA Survey of U.S. Dental School Seniors results for each U.S. dental school. A school report compares the results based on the responses of the students at the school with the national results. The reports were available upon national report release, only with the respective school dean’s approval.