Pathways to Smiles
- Pathways to Smiles
- HURE Report
- Diversity Checklist
-
Faculty Diversity Toolkit
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: Barriers and Challenges to Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Faculty
- Chapter 3: Best Practice Highlights—Recruiting and Hiring Diverse Faculty
- Chapter 4: Best Practice Highlights—Retaining Diverse Faculty
- Chapter 5: Conclusion
- Appendix B: Diversity and Inclusion Terminology
- Strategic Framework 1-1
- Policy on Diversity
- Climate Study
- Student Leaders for Social Change
Questions?
Contact us at PathwaysToSmiles@adea.org.
ADEA Pathways to Smiles
Inspiring Tomorrow’s Oral Health Workforce, Today.
Pathways to Smiles is an American Dental Education Association (ADEA) initiative to build awareness of the oral health professions among 14- to 18-year-old students across the country.
The program is made possible by the generous support of the Delta Dental Future Workforce Fund Grant and ADEA’s partnership with 13 Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) nationwide.
This initiative focuses on building a prepared oral health workforce for rural and underserved communities by improving the supply, distribution and accessibility of oral health professionals. In the pilot program’s first year, our goal is to reach over 500 students and provide them with a positive oral health workforce experience.
Program Overview
AHEC Program Locations
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Program Goals for 2025
- Build awareness of and interest in the oral health professions among 14–18-year-old students across the United States.
- Impact a minimum of 500+ students through a variety of large and small programs at 10 AHEC locations.
- Create long-term tracking of student engagement and interest in the oral health professions that follow attendees through their middle, high school and college journeys.
Who Should Apply?
Applications for the 2025 Pilot Year have closed.
Participation in this project is best suited for:
- AHECs with an existing summer health program that is missing a robust oral health focus.
- AHECs located in communities that are underserved by oral health professionals looking to add an oral health program.
- AHECs serving underrepresented and marginalized communities in oral health.
Funding and Budget
Each AHEC site selected to participate in the 2025 ADEA Pathways to Smiles pilot program was eligible to receive funding in support of its implementation efforts.
Award amounts were determined based on each site’s proposed budget and the anticipated reach and impact of their program, with funding capped at $8,000. This approach ensured that resources were distributed equitably and aligned with the program’s goals to strengthen oral health education and access at the community level.