ADEA Awarded $675,000 Three-Year Grant from Delta Dental to Strengthen the Future Oral Health Workforce

Funding will support ADEA's Bridging Pathways to Oral Health Careers Program, helping more students explore and pursue careers in oral health.

Washington, D.C., Oct. 23, 2026 — The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) has been awarded a three-year grant totaling $675,000 through the 2026 Delta Dental Future Workforce Fund to support its Bridging Pathways to Oral Health Careers Program. ADEA is among five organizations selected to receive funding as part of Delta Dental's nearly $3 million investment to strengthen the nation's oral health workforce.

The Bridging Pathways to Oral Health Careers Program introduces students to oral health professions through hands-on learning experiences, career exploration and educational resources. Through partnerships with Area Health Education Centers, the program helps students understand the connection between oral and overall health while providing guidance and resources to pursue educational and career opportunities in the field.

“We are grateful to Delta Dental for its continued investment in the next generation of oral health professionals,” said Karen P. West, D.M.D., M.P.H., ADEA President and CEO. “Building a strong workforce begins by helping young people recognize the opportunities available to them and providing the support they need to pursue their goals. This funding will allow ADEA to expand our reach, strengthen partnerships and help more students envision a future in oral health.”

The award builds on Delta Dental's previous support for ADEA's workforce development initiatives, including a $250,000 grant in 2025. The new funding will help ADEA build on this work by expanding early career exposure opportunities and strengthening approaches to developing sustainable pathways into oral health professions.

In addition to ADEA, the 2026 Future Workforce Fund awardees include:

• American Dental Hygienists' Association: Hygienist Inspired, an initiative that uses chairside recruitment and community outreach to introduce individuals to dental hygiene careers.
• Hispanic Dental Association: Building Our Leaders in Dentistry (BOLD), a mentorship and career exploration program that helps students from underrepresented communities pursue careers in dentistry.
• Mentorships in Dentistry, Inc.: A program that connects students with dental professionals through mentorship, hands-on learning and educational opportunities.
• Planet Smilez, Inc.: The Discovering Dentistry Symposium Community Pathways Initiative, which engages high school students in underserved communities through clinical simulations, mentorship and career exploration.

The three-year funding approach reflects Delta Dental's emphasis on sustainable workforce development through long-term investment, partnerships and evaluation. These principles are highlighted in Delta Dental's report, The Pathway Effect: A Guide to Strengthening the Oral Health Workforce Through Early Exposure Programs, which identifies strategies for developing effective and scalable pathways into oral health careers.

For more information about the Delta Dental Future Workforce Fund and its 2026 awardees, visit deltadental.com.