ADEA Chapters

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ADEA Chapters: Leading Locally, Impacting Nationally

ADEA Chapters for Students, Residents and Fellows are the foundation of student engagement within dental education. Across institutions, chapters promote leadership, service, innovation and connection, building strong communities on campus while contributing to ADEA’s national mission.

All recognized chapters are part of the ADEA Council of Students, Residents, and Fellows (COSRF), the national student governing body that supports and represents chapter leaders and members across the country.

Through a structured network of District Commissioners and the COSRF Administrative Board, COSRF provides leadership development, guidance and a unified voice for students within ADEA.

Whether you’re looking to get involved, start a chapter or connect with leaders in your district, this page is your gateway to the ADEA Chapters’ network.

ADEA Chapters and Student Leadership

All ADEA Chapters are part of COSRF and serve as local hubs for engagement, service and leadership development. Chapters function under the guidance of COSRF and their district representatives, helping to implement national initiatives and support student interests at the institutional level.

COSRF national leadership is structured into two main boards:

COSRF Administrative Board
These are nationally elected officers who oversee council operations, shape student programming and represent student interests at the highest levels of ADEA.
COSRF Executive Board
These are comprised of District Commissioners and Liaisons who provide direct support to local chapters, facilitate communication across institutions and lead key COSRF initiatives in programming, communications and advocacy.

Together, ADEA Chapters and COSRF leaders ensure that student perspectives are not only heard—but amplified—across the field of dental education.

Explore the ADEA Chapters Network

District Map

Discover the 12 ADEA districts and find your school’s chapter. Learn how districts connect students across institutions and support local initiatives with national impact.

View ADEA Chapter District Map

Chapter Leadership Directory

Meet the current chapter leaders who are driving change and representing student voices in their schools and regions.

(Coming Soon)

Chapter Awards

The ADEA Chapter Awards are designed to recognize and honor outstanding efforts by ADEA Chapters for Students, Residents and Fellows. This recognition system celebrates innovation, impact and excellence across different dimensions of chapter activity, motivating chapters to strengthen programming and student engagement in academic dentistry

All ADEA-recognized chapters in good standing are eligible to apply. Chapter-level Designations and Distinguished Chapter Awards are presented annually at the ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition.

Chapter-level Designations

Chapter-level Designations (Bronze, Silver and Gold) recognize the growth and achievements of ADEA Chapters as they progress from establishing a strong foundation to becoming leaders in innovation and advocacy.

Chapters pursuing a designation must demonstrate achievement across four developmental pillars:

Programmatic Impact – Delivering chapter events that build awareness of dental education careers and foster belonging among members
Community Engagement – Extending impact beyond the chapter through cross-chapter collaboration, district communication, contributions to the broader ADEA community and community service
Leadership Presence – Demonstrating leadership within the chapter and broader ADEA network through consistent communication, advocacy efforts, mentorship and collaboration that models effective student leadership
Visibility – Demonstrating an active and intentional online presence (via ADEA Connect, social media or other platforms) that promotes chapter achievements and shares resources with the ADEA network

Distinguished Chapter Awards

Distinguished Chapter Awards (Innovation, Community Impact, Chapter Achievement and ADEA Chapter of the Year) honor ADEA Chapters that demonstrate exceptional vision, innovation and leadership in advancing oral health education. Unlike the tiered designations, these awards highlight chapters that go above and beyond in specialized areas of excellence.

Award Categories

Innovation | $350
Eligible chapters must demonstrate an original idea or approach that provides clear value to members or the community, shows potential for sustainability or replication and advances dental education or advocacy.
Community Impact | $350
Eligible chapters must demonstrate initiatives that address a clearly defined community need, show meaningful scope and reach, foster partnerships and collaboration and provide evidence of improved access, awareness or outcomes.
Chapter Achievement | $500
Eligible chapters must highlight three or more substantial contributions to oral health education, advocacy or leadership development, demonstrating growth and achievement relative to their institutional context.
ADEA Chapter of the Year (Sponsor Award) | $1000
Eligible chapters must demonstrate balanced excellence across programmatic impact, collaboration, advocacy, innovation and leadership. Strong applications will show evidence of long-term vision; model practices that can inspire other chapters; and broad recognition of impact at the local, district and national levels.

Get Involved

Discover how you can make an impact—whether it’s running for a national office, joining a committee or leading change within your chapter.

Chapter Registration

Chapter registration is open annually and is a critical step for maintaining active status within the ADEA network. Registering your chapter ensures access to exclusive resources, funding opportunities, leadership development programs, and national events.

Be sure to complete the Annual Chapter Registration by Sept. 30 to stay connected and eligible for chapter awards and initiatives.

2025-26 Annual Chapter Registration

Start a Chapter

Is your institution ready to become part of the ADEA Chapters network?

Starting a chapter is an opportunity to empower students, build a sense of community and connect with national efforts in dental education. Once established, chapters gain access to exclusive resources, programming andfunding opportunities and have the ability to participate in ADEA’s national leadership structure.

For full details, download the ADEA Chapters Toolkit (PDF) or contact Dr. Antanious White at WhiteA@adea.org, ADEA COSRF Staff Liaison, to begin the application process.