Delta Dental Awards $250,000 to the American Dental Education Association to Advance the Future of the Oral Health Workforce
ADEA’s Pathways to Smiles program inspires student interest in oral health careers through hands-on learning and AHEC partnerships
Oct. 9, 2025 — Today, the Delta Dental Institute announced its third class of Delta Dental Future Workforce Fund awardees. The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is among these awardees and received $250,000 to expand its Pathways to Smiles program.
The ADEA Pathways to Smiles program inspires future oral health professionals through an interactive, hands-on curriculum in partnership with Area Health Education Centers throughout the country. The program engages students by highlighting the importance of oral health’s connection to overall health and providing a clear understanding of the academic pathway into the oral health professions.
ADEA is deeply grateful to Delta Dental for renewing its commitment to the ADEA Pathways to Smiles initiative. This investment fuels our efforts to open doors for aspiring students, expand training opportunities, and strengthen the future of academic dentistry. With this support, we can continue to empower tomorrow’s oral health leaders and ensure a stronger, more sustainable workforce,” said Karen P. West, D.M.D., M.P.H., ADEA President and CEO.
As part of its Delta Dental Future Workforce Fund, in 2025, Delta Dental awarded $1 million to fund programs that drive awareness of careers in oral health and inspire school-aged children to imagine themselves as future dental professionals.
"We are proud to announce our third annual class of Delta Dental Future Workforce Fund awardees and are confident these organizations will have a lasting impact by driving awareness of oral health careers and inspiring our young people to explore opportunities in the dental field," said James W. Hutchison, President and CEO of Delta Dental Plans Association. "This year's awardee class expands our support for additional oral health professionals, recognizing the critical need to fill these roles. As the nation's largest oral health philanthropist and leading dental benefits provider, Delta Dental is committed to supporting innovative programs that will help ensure a strong workforce for the future."
Other awardees of the 2025 Delta Dental Future Workforce Fund include:
- American Dental Hygienists' Association: The Hygienist Inspired program expands awareness of the dental hygiene profession through chairside recruitment and community outreach. The program leverages the expertise of dental hygienists and the strength of their patient relationships to inspire new career opportunities—particularly within communities currently underrepresented in the profession.
- Hispanic Dental Association: The Building Our Leaders in Dentistry (BOLD) is a predental school mentorship program designed to introduce dentistry as a career option and to help influence more underrepresented minorities to enter the profession. The program will support engaging schools in underserved areas by targeting STEM-focused curriculum, teachers and counselors to help identify students interested in a health-related career.
- Mentorships in Dentistry, Inc. (MIND): The MIND Youth Summit program advances the oral health profession through intentional mentorship and early exposure. The program inspires school-aged and predental students to pursue careers in oral health, while also engaging dental professionals in mentorship and leadership opportunities that reignite their passion for dentistry and service.
- Society of American Indian Dentists: The Telling the Story of a Path to Dentistry program connects American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) dentists with AI/AN youth to increase awareness of dentistry as a career path. Through mentorship and resources, the program supports students on their journey, while working toward greater AI/AN representation in the dental profession.
The next round of applications for the Delta Dental Future Workforce Fund will open in the spring of 2026; please visit www.deltadentalinstitute.com/fund to learn more.
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 members include all 87 U.S. and Canadian dental schools, more than 800 allied and advanced dental education programs, more than 50 corporations and approximately 15,000 individuals. 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.
Contact for Immediate Release
Tom Quash
Chief Communications and Marketing Officer
QuashT@adea.org
(202) 238-3941