ADEA Bylaws, Policies and Position Statements Regarding Equity and Diversity
Policy Statement I. Education, A. Admissions
1. Diverse System of Higher Education
All dental education institutions and programs should support and help enhance the diverse system of higher education. Continued autonomy and growth in the private and public sectors depend on the preservation of this diversity. The nation’s private and public systems of higher education are complementary and interdependent. Their preservation depends on the continued attention of all institutional members and the ADEA itself. Students must have the freedom to choose, from the broad spectrum of dental education institutions and programs, the institution or program best designed to meet the students’ specific needs.
Adopted by the House of Delegates, March 19, 1996; March 7, 2001
2. Number and Types of Practitioners Educated
All dental education institutions and programs should use the public’s need and demand for dental services as the criteria for determining the number and types of practitioners educated; and constantly assess those needs and demands, and the ability of existing practitioners to meet them…
4. Admissions Criteria
...Nondiscriminatory policies should be followed in selecting students.
Adopted by the House of Delegates, March 7, 2001
5. Recruitment, Retention, and Access
The American Dental Education Association strongly endorses the continuous use of recruitment, admission, and retention practices that achieve excellence through diversity in American dental education. Dental education institutions and programs should identify, recruit, and retain underrepresented minority students and identify, recruit, and retain women students where inequities exist. Dental education institutions and programs should accept students from diverse backgrounds, who, on the basis of past and predicted performance, appear qualified to become competent dental professionals. Such efforts to achieve a diverse student body are predicated upon a highly qualified applicant pool and the support of private and public funding, which benefit qualified disadvantaged individuals regardless of race, religion, ethnic background, gender, or sexual orientation. Collaborate with other organizations focused on increasing the numbers of underrepresented minorities in the health professions.
6. Non-cognitive Attributes
Use as part of the admissions process a consistently applied assessment of applicants’ non-cognitive attributes.
Adopted by the House of Delegates, March 19, 1996; March 7, 2001; March 9, 2004
Amended to read (5 and 6 combined):
Policy Statement I. Education, A. Admissions, 5. Recruitment, Retention, and Access:
Best Practices.
The American Dental Education Association strongly endorses the continuous use of recruitment, admission, and retention practices that achieve excellence through diversity in
American dental education. Dental education institutions and programs should identify, recruit, and retain underrepresented minority students and identify, recruit, and retain women students where inequities exist. Dental education institutions and programs should accept students from diverse backgrounds, who, on the basis of past and predicted performance, appear qualified to become competent dental professionals. Such efforts to achieve a diverse student body are predicated upon a highly qualified applicant pool and the support of private and public funding that benefits qualified disadvantaged individuals regardless of race, religion, ethnic background, gender, or sexual orientation. Dental education institutions should seek to identify and implement best practices in the recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups, including but not limited to:
a) Commitment and pro-active leadership to diversity initiatives from deans and program directors;
b) Identification and implementation of admissions committee practices that promote diversity;
c) Identification and use of non-cognitive factors in admissions decisions;
d) Regional collaboration among dental education programs to increase the numbers and qualifications of underrepresented individuals applying to dental education programs;
e) Collaboration with other organizations focused on increasing the numbers of underrepresented minorities in the health professions.
Adopted by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2005
Policy Statement I. Education, B. Ethics and Professionalism, 6. Sexual Harassment Policy
Dental education institutions and programs should work with their parent institutions to have up-to-date policies and well-defined procedures for preventing and responding to incidents
involving sexual harassment. Dental education institutions should strive to go beyond legal compliance and risk management considerations to create and sustain a positive learning and working environment. While there are numerous definitions of sexual harassment, institutions are encouraged to develop their own definitions that could be applied in a broad context including quid pro quo and hostile environments. (Examples of sexual harassment include the following: “Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when submission to such is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or academic advancement, or when submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting the individual.” It also includes verbal or physical conduct that interferes with an individual’s work, professional or academic or career opportunities or services/benefits. Non-sexual conduct, such as intimidation, hostility, rudeness, and name-calling; and unwelcome behaviors influenced by gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or age are also included.)
Dental education institutions and programs should, in concert with their parent institution, demonstrate their commitment to preventing and dealing with sexual harassment by:
a) educating faculty, staff, students, and residents about the issue;
b) employing prompt and equitable grievance procedures;
c) setting forth formal and informal procedures and sanctions for dealing with instances of sexual harassment;
d) creating an environment that encourages persons to come forward with problems;
e) assuring that policies address sexual harassment by any individuals in an interactive or supervisory role, whether they be peers, patients, students, or a third party;
f) including safeguards protecting confidentiality and prohibiting retaliation or reprisals; and
g) implementing a process to continually monitor all aspects of the policy.
h) reviewing and updating the policy periodically.
Adopted by the House of Delegates, March 4, 1998; March 7, 2001; April 2, 2008
Policy Statement I. Education, C. Curriculum, Curriculum Content, 9. Cultural and Linguistic Competence
All dental education institutions should include cultural and linguistic concepts as an integral component of their curricula to facilitate the provision of oral health care services. Cultural and linguistic concepts should be included in the measurable dental curriculum objectives.
Adopted by the House of Delegates, April 5, 2000; March 7, 2001; April 2, 2008
Policy Statement I. Education, D. Faculty Recruitment and Retention, 4. Gender and Minority Representation
Identify, recruit, and retain underrepresented minorities to faculty positions and promote, when qualified, underrepresented minorities to senior faculty and administrative positions, proportional to their distribution in the general population. Appropriate gender equity should be a goal of any faculty recruitment, retention, and promotion plan.
Adopted by the House of Delegates, March 19, 1996; March 7, 2001, March 12, 2003
Policy Statement I. Education, D. Faculty Recruitment and Retention, 8. Mentoring Programs
Develop and support formal mentoring programs as a means of recruiting, preparing, and retaining new dental and allied dental faculty, as well as a vehicle for developing and retaining
existing faculty.
Adopted by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2004; April 2, 2008
Policy Statement V. Health Risk Issues, D. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Hazard, 1. Discouraging Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Abuse, (e)
Institutional and individual members are urged to provide training on general, culturally-competent and gender-specific tobacco prevention and cessation techniques.
Adopted by the House of Delegates, March 7, 2001
Bylaws Chapter I (Core Values), Section A, Number 5:
Expanding the Diversity of Dental Education.
The Association values diversity and believes that those who populate dental education—students, faculty, staff, administrators, and patients—should reflect the diversity of our society.
Adopted by the House of Delegates, March 19, 1996
Bylaws Chapter VII (Other Standing and Special Committees of the Board of Directors), Section A. Authority:
The Board of Directors may appoint standing or special committees to assist it in performing its duties. In all such appointments, the Board of Directors should consider women and underrepresented minorities to serve on such committees…
Bylaws as last amended by the House of Delegates, March 13, 1991, March 16, 1996, April, 2000
Bylaws Chapter III (Elected Association Officers), Section E. Nominations:
By April 1 each year, the Board of Directors invites the general membership to suggest nominees for the office of president-elect. Members should consider women and underrepresented minorities for nomination...
Bylaws as amended by the House of Delegates, March 13, 1991; March 11, 1992, March 16, 1996, April, 2000
Competencies for the New General Dentist.
3. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
3.3 Communicate effectively with individuals from diverse populations.
4. Health Promotion
4.3 Recognize and appreciate the need to contribute to the improvement of oral health beyond those served in traditional practice settings.
6. Patient Care
6.1 Manage the oral health care of the infant, child, adolescent, and adult, as well as the unique
needs of women, geriatric and special needs patients.
Approved by the House of Delegates, April 2, 2008
ADEA Statement on Health Care Programs:
The Association believes that the number of minority graduates of dental education institutions should better reflect their representation in the population and supports programs that will achieve that goal. Faculty role models are critical to the professional development of minority students and the ADEA advocates grants for programs that enhance the development of minority faculty. Additionally, the Association endorses efforts that result in improving the health of minority and under-served persons. The retention and graduation of practitioners from disadvantaged groups is a goal that is important for the public’s health. Since the indebtedness of disadvantaged students, including minority students, is commonly higher than the average of all students, the Association supports grant and loan forgiveness programs for disadvantaged persons and minorities, with preference given to those who elect to pursue careers in dental education and research to provide care for underserved populations.
Adopted by the House of Delegates, March 11, 1992; last amended, March 10, 1993
Proceedings of the 1993 House of Delegates:
22-93-H. Resolved, that the House of Delegates commend the Association on establishing an office of women and minority affairs, and that office's ongoing initiatives; and be it further
Resolved, that the Executive Committee be directed to incorporate in the Association's annual budget support for enhanced initiatives in the areas of recruitment, retention, and advancement of students and faculty, with emphasis on women and underrepresented minorities.
Adopted by the House of Delegates March 10, 1993
Revised July 2008