Session Daily | Saturday, March 21
Welcome Message
Welcome to the 2026 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition!
Welcome to Montréal, Québec, Canada! This is the first issue of the Session Daily for the 2026 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition.
The Session Daily is your one-stop source for program highlights, special events and general news about the ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition. Watch your inbox for a new issue of the Session Daily on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings.
This year’s theme is Bridging Pathways, Advancing Success, connecting our legacy with the profound impact of our profession today, moving forward as an inclusive community of creativity, collaboration and indomitable hope. Like previous Annual Sessions & Exhibitions, ADEA continues to offer a variety of interactive educational sessions and workshops, as well as engaging plenary sessions. Download our mobile app, ADEA LIVE, for a complete list of events and session offerings.
Kick off today’s events by attending the 2026 ADEA Signature Series: The Strategic Mind: Developing Expert Decision-Making in Academic Dental Leadership, which will take place from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. in Rooms 520 B, C- F, on the fifth floor of the Palais. This ticketed session explores the cognitive science behind expert decision-making, drawing on academic research that will help attendees cultivate better judgment in themselves and their teams.
This afternoon, you can learn about new initiatives ADEA is spearheading and hear about ADEA’s accomplishments in 2025 at the ADEA House of Delegates Opening Session from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. in Room 517 C-D, on the fifth floor of the Palais. End your evening by networking and socializing with peers and colleagues at the Welcome Reception, sponsored by A-dec and HuFriedyGroup, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. in Room 517 A-B, on the fifth floor of the Palais.
As you participate in sessions, peruse the Exhibit Hall floor on Sunday and Monday or network at events, don’t forget to share your experiences and spark conversations with fellow attendees, non-attendees, exhibitors, sponsors and more by posting on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn using the hashtag #ADEA2026!
We hope you have a productive and enjoyable first day!
Helpful Information
- 2026 ADEA Signature Series
8:00 – 11:00 a.m. | Rooms 520 B, C-F (5th Floor) - ADEA House of Delegates Opening Session
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. | Rooms 517 C-D (5th Floor) - Welcome Reception (sponsored by A-dec and HuFriedyGroup)
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. | Room 517 A-B (5th floor)
GoDental® Event
Students Explore Their Journeys to Dental School and Network at the 2026 ADEA GoDental Recruitment Event
The 2026 ADEA GoDental Recruitment Event, in conjunction with the 2026 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition, will take place today, March 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Palais des congrès de Montréal. This free, in-person event offers high schoolers, community college and four-year college students interested in dentistry the chance to meet admissions officers from U.S. and Canadian dental schools. They can also attend interactive presentations to help them be successful applicants.
The event will begin at 9:00 a.m. with opening remarks in Room 517 A, on the fifth floor of the Palais. This will be followed by a keynote speech, “Embracing the Journey,” by Dr. Julio Morales of East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine.
At 10:00 a.m., attendees will choose to participate in two of four breakout sessions:
- Finding Patience, Peace and Persistence on the Dental Student Journey;
- Mentorship That Matters: Building a Network for Success in Dentistry;
- One Journey, Many Destinations: Your Road Trip to Dental School; and
- Your Journey to Dentistry: Make It Personal (Through the Personal Statement).
After closing remarks at 11:15 a.m., the session will break for lunch (provided by ADEA).
Build a Network for Success
After lunch, predental students can go to the GoDental Recruitment Fair to network face-to-face with representatives from 50+ U.S. and Canadian dental schools all in one location. The fair will take place in Room 710 A on the seventh floor of the Palais from noon to 3:00 p.m.
Throughout the event, attendees should share on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #GoDental26!
Helpful Information
- Opening Remarks
9 a.m. | Room 517 A (5th Floor) - Lunch (provided by ADEA)
11:15 a.m. - GoDental Recruitment Fair
3:00 p.m. | Room 710 (7th floor)
Visit the 2026 GoDental Recruitment Event page for program details and speaker information.
Leadership Institute
Congratulations to the ADEA Leadership Institute Graduates in the Class of 2026!
The ADEA Leadership Institute Class of 2026 held its commencement dinner and reception on Friday, March 21, marking the end of the year-long program for exceptional mid-career oral health professional faculty and professionals. The Leadership Institute is designed to develop the most promising individuals at academic institutions to become future dental and higher education leaders.
The incoming Class of 2027 also held its orientation on Friday. The class will now complete four phases that will culminate with their graduation at the 2027 Annual Session & Exhibition in Chicago.
To learn more about the program, please visit the Leadership Institute page on the ADEA website.
Graduating Class of 2026
- Tumouh Al-Allaq, B.D.S., FGD
- Ana Cristina Andrada, D.D.S., D.M.Sc., FICD
- Suzanne Barnes, D.M.D.
- Carol Caudill, D.D.S.
- Jennifer Cullen, RDH, M.P.H.
- Beatriz Bezerra, D.D.S., Ph.D.
- Pinar Emecen-Huja, D.D.S., Ph.D.
- Maria D. Gonzalez, D.D.S., M.S.
- Ashley R. Harrison, D.D.S.
- Esther Kuyinu, D.D.S., M.S.
- Theresia Laksmana, D.M.D., M.S.
- Donald P. Lapine, D.M.D., FAGD, FACD
- Stephanie Munz, D.D.S., FSCD
- Diana K. Nguyen, D.D.S.
- Hanan Omar, B.D.S., Ph.D., M.S.
- Ana Ospina, D.D.S., M.S., M.P.H.
- Aikaterini Papathanasiou, D.M.D., D.D.S., M.B.A., FICD
- Luiz Andre Pimenta, D.D.S., Ph.D., M.B.A., M.S.
- Sivaraman Prakasam, B.D.S., M.S.D., Ph.D.
- Theodore D. Ravenel, D.M.D.
- Lina Sharab, D.D.S., M.S., M.Sc.
- Matthew Thacker, D.M.D., FAGD
- Katherine Velasco, D.D.S.
- Qian Xie, B.D.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Registration Booth Hours
- March 20 | 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
- March 21 | 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- March 22 | 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- March 23 | 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- March 24 | 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The registration booth is in Viger Hall on Level 2, Palais des Congrès de Montréal.