Session Daily | Sunday, March 9

ADEA Awards ADEA Distinguished Service Award and Citations at Opening Ceremony

During the Opening Ceremony at 8:30 a.m. in the Potomac Ballroom A&B, Ballroom Level, Marsha A. Pyle, D.D.S., M.Ed., ADEA Senior Chief, Knowledge, Engagement and Development; ADEA Senior Scholar in Residence; and President of the ADEAGies Foundation will be presented with the ADEA Distinguished Service Award by ADEA Chair of the Board Susan H. Kass, M.Ed., Ed.D., RDH.

After becoming a medical technologist, Dr. Pyle later went on to study dentistry at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine (CWRU SDM). She would begin her academic career in 1991 at CWRU SDM, where she would make a significant contribution to national curriculum innovation while leading CWRU SDM’s revision in the structure, format and process for the D1 and D2 curriculum and its evaluation. The school was recognized for that project with a 2009 ADEAGies Foundation William J. Gies Award for Innovation.

Dr. Pyle joined the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Dentistry (UMKC SOD) in 2009 as Dean and served in that role for 11 years. Upon retirement from UMKC SOD in 2020, Dr. Pyle joined ADEA, where she serves as Senior Scholar in Residence; Senior Chief of Knowledge, Engagement and Development; and President of the ADEAGies Foundation.

To continue with the Opening Ceremony’s theme of “Building a Culture of Excellence: Excellence Isn’t Optional”, Dr. Kass also will present award citations to those who have demonstrated exceptional service to ADEA and the dental education community.

Finding the Courage to Inspire and Empower at Sunday’s Chair of the Board Symposium

Sunday, March 9, marks the beginning of ADEA Chair of the Board of Directors Symposia series at the 2025 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition. Get ready to be inspired and empowered!

After the opening plenary session by Michelle Rozen, Ph.D., M.D., “The Change Doctor”, who will discuss “Building a Culture of Excellence: Excellence Isn’t Optional”, attendees can make their way to the “ADEA Chair of the Board of Directors Symposium: The Courage to Inspire and Empower” in Woodrow Wilson A, Ballroom Level, at 10:30 a.m.

This symposium will explore the four types of courage, and the significance of each to the future of oral health education and care through the experiences of five academic leaders:

After hearing presentations from the panel, attendees will be able to identify the core concepts of courage and how they apply to overcoming fear and uncertainty; describe how to become a more courageous agent of change; and assess, by fostering communication, collaboration and shared responsibility, how to address tomorrow’s challenges in oral health education. 

Join Us in the Exhibit Hall at the ADEA Showcase Booth 307!

The Exhibit Hall is open on Sunday, March 9, noon – 5:00 p.m., and Monday, March 10, 9:45 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., in Prince George’s Exhibit Hall D&E, Lower Atrium Level.

Visit our exhibitors and don’t forget to stop by the ADEA Showcase at Booth 307. The ADEA Showcase booth will feature the ADEA “hub” where members can learn about our Research and Data, Learning Initiatives, Advocacy Efforts, ADEA Connect and more.

The ADEA Headshot Café is back and once again located in the ADEA Showcase booth. This year, the Café will feature a two-line model: one for prior-made appointments, and the other for walk-ins seeking spots available to receive a complementary professional headshot. The ADEA Headshot Café will be open on Sunday, from noon to 5:00 p.m., and on Monday from 9:45 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 3:00 p.m.

The ADEA Showcase will also include a new feature, the First-time Attendees Lounge, which will cater to those who are attending the ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition for the first time. The Lounge will offer light refreshments, raffles and giveaways, insider tips and a place to meet and network.

ADEA Quest

All visitors to the Exhibit Hall can participate in the ADEA Quest by downloading the ADEA LIVE mobile app. Once on site, select “ADEA Quest” in the 2025 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition mobile app to get started. 

While on the Exhibit Hall floor March 9 and 10, attendees should visit participating exhibitors and unlock a series of in-app questions by scanning each booth’s unique QR code. Accumulate 2,025 points to qualify for a chance to win fabulous prizes.

Winners will be announced on the in-app Leader Board. Prizes will be drawn live from the ADEA Showcase booth at 1:30 p.m. on March 9 and 1:00 p.m. on March 10. Winners must be present to receive prizes.

2025 ADEA GoDental Recruitment Event

Students arrived with lots of enthusiasm and questions to the 2025 ADEA GoDental Recruitment Event, held in conjunction with the 2025 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition in National Harbor, MD.