The American Dental Education Association Expands its Efforts to Build the Future Oral Health Workforce
March 2, 2026— Washington, DC— The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is pleased to announce the expansion of its Pathways to Smiles program. Generously supported for a second year by Delta Dental through its Delta Dental Future Workforce Fund, Pathways to Smiles is an immersive, community-based initiative designed to increase awareness of oral health careers and support early career exploration among students ages 14–18. Delivered in partnership with Area Health Education Centers (AHEC), the program emphasizes the critical connection between oral and overall health and provides participants with a clear academic pathway into the oral health professions.
Building on the success of its inaugural year, during which 1,261 students across thirteen states participated, the expanded initiative will partner with 26 AHEC sites in 2026, effectively doubling its reach and impact. These additional sites represent a broad geographic footprint and will play a critical role in advancing local workforce development through programming tailored to the needs of their communities.
Participating AHEC sites include:
- AHEC of Southwest Oregon – Roseburg, OR
- Blue Ridge AHEC – Rome, GA
- Centennial AHEC – Greeley, CO
- Central Louisiana AHEC – Alexandria, LA
- Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands AHEC – Saipan, MP
- Connecticut AHEC – Farmington, CT
- Crossroads AHEC – West Jordan, UT
- East Central AHEC – Lehighton, PA
- Eastern North Carolina AHEC – Greenville, NC
- Gulfcoast North AHEC – West Chapel, FL
- High Sierra AHEC – Reno, NV
- Maryland AHEC West – Cumberland, MD
- North Central Indiana AHEC – Rochester, IN
- North Central Wisconsin AHEC – Wausau, WI
- Northeast Kentucky AHEC – Morehead, KY
- Northeast Oregon AHEC – La Grande, OR
- Northern Nebraska AHEC – Norfolk, NE
- South Central Montana AHEC – Helena, MT
- Southeastern Missouri AHEC – Cape Girardeau, MO
- Southeastern Primary Care Consortium, Inc., Atlanta AHEC – Atlanta, GA
- Southern New Hampshire AHEC – Raymond, NH
- Southwest Washington AHEC – Olympia, WA
- Suwannee River AHEC – Alachua, FL
- Texas AHEC East – Galveston, TX
- West River AHEC – Box Elder, SD, and
- Wiregrass Alabama AHEC – Dothan, AL
To mark this next phase of growth, the Pathways to Smiles Program will change its program identity to the ADEA Bridging Pathways to Oral Health Careers Program—underscoring its expanding footprint and its dedication to building enduring pathways into oral health careers.
“ADEA is proud to expand our Bridging Pathways to Oral Health Careers Program and elevate awareness of oral health as a rewarding profession rooted in service to communities,” said Karen P. West, D.M.D., M.P.H., President, and CEO of ADEA. “By partnering with AHECs nationwide, ADEA is expanding access to education, exposure and structured career pathways that help youth envision a future in oral health. Initiatives like these are essential to building a cadre of well-prepared professionals equipped to meet the nation’s oral health needs today and, in the years, ahead.”
The Bridging Pathways to Oral Health Careers Program comes at a critical time for the oral health workforce. Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) continue to increase nationwide. According to current data from the Health Resources and Services Administration, 64 million Americans live in dental HPSAs, with an estimated 10,759 additional oral health professionals needed to meet current demand.
By engaging students early and within their own communities, ADEA and AHEC are advancing sustainable, community-centered workforce strategies that increase access to care, promote continuity, and strengthen the long-term vitality of oral health workforce.
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About the Delta Dental Institute: The Delta Dental Institute advances oral health for all Americans in partnership with Delta Dental companies and dedicated organizations across the country. With expertise rooted in Delta Dental's rich history of oral health leadership, we support oral health research, community outreach, and advocacy, striving to ensure that everyone understands the importance of oral health to overall health and has access to the care they need. Visit deltadentalinstitute.com for more information.
About Delta Dental Plans Association: Based in Chicago, Illinois, Delta Dental Plans Association is the not-for-profit national association of the 39 independent Delta Dental companies. Through these companies, Delta Dental is the nation's largest dental benefits provider and offers the country's largest dental network with approximately 151,000 participating dentists. Over the last 15 years, Delta Dental companies and their foundations invested over $2.3 billion to improve the oral and overall health of our communities.
About ADEA: The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is The Voice of Dental Education®. Our mission is to lead and support the health professions community in preparing future-ready oral health professionals. Our membership encompasses 86 U.S. and Canadian dental schools, more than 800 allied and advanced dental education programs, more than 65 corporations and approximately 15,000 individual members. As such, ADEA represents an estimated 65,000 faculty, staff, students, administrators, residents, and fellows throughout oral health education. Our activities encompass a wide range of research, advocacy, faculty development, meetings, and communications, including the esteemed Journal of Dental Education®, as well as the dental school application services ADEA AADSAS®, ADEA PASS®, ADEA DHCAS® and ADEA CAAPID®. For more information, visit adea.org.