Session Daily | Tuesday, March 11

Draw Inspiration and Motivation From the “Closing Plenary Session: From Survival to Success”

The “Closing Plenary: From Survival to Success” from 10:00–11:15 a.m. in Potomac Ballroom A & B, Ballroom Level will feature Dave Sanderson, a speaker, author and survivor of what is known as "The Miracle on the Hudson.” Named one of Inc.com’s Top 100 Leadership speakers, Sanderson has traveled the world sharing his inspirational leadership lessons, while raising more than $14.8 million for the American Red Cross over the last 10 years through his talks.

During the plenary session, Sanderson will share the strategies he learned and implemented after surviving the crash of US Airways Flight 1549 to show how you, too, can grow from a traumatic life event and achieve your most sought-after goals and outcomes.

After the plenary, attendees should be able to discuss the transformational impact of a crisis and explain how the lessons learned from trauma and crisis can shape future success.

Monday’s Tapestry Table Plenary Encourages Compassion for All Patients

During her Monday Plenary “Beyond Words: Insights Into More Compassionate Practices”, Elizabeth Bonker, Executive Director, Communication 4 ALL, beseeched the audience filled with oral health educators and professionals to operate dental practices filled with, above all else, empathy and compassion to best serve patients who are intellectually diverse.

“Just know that words matter,” Bonker, who is a non-speaker with autism, said via a prior recorded video. “Please remember we can think, hear and feel.”

Bonker’s presentation marked the fifth Table Tapestry plenary moderated by Sonya Smith, Ed.D., J.D., M.Ed., M.A., ADEA Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff. It was sponsored by Haleon.

Finding Her Voice

Bonker, who largely communicated via video and by typing her responses with the assistance of her mother, Virginia Breen, provided both insight and information on how non-speakers with autism navigate a world that isn’t always receptive or understanding.

Estimates say that of eight billion people globally, 1% are likely to have autism, Bonker said. Of the 80 million people with autism, 40% are probably nonverbal.

She said she was verbal and hitting expected milestones when she was a baby, but by 15 months, she had stopped speaking and would bang her head on the floor in frustration. “I struck myself because I was thinking and feeling person,” Bonker said. “I wasn’t insane.”

When she was five years old, after watching a special on 60 Minutes, Bonker’s mother took her to Texas to find a professional who was able to help Bonker learn how to type and communicate her thoughts and feelings. Bonker caught on quickly. Her teachers discovered she was a precocious child thanks to her new mode of communication and Bonker was able to skip kindergarten and later enrolled in the gifted and talented program at her elementary school.

Bonker noted that autism is a neurodevelopment disorder, but often mistaken for a cognitive disorder, so non-speakers with autism are wrongly assumed to be intellectually inferior. But Bonker graduated as the valedictorian from Rollins College.

“Though my mom thinks so, I’m not special,” Bonker said. She said there are many nonverbal autistics who are highly intelligent. She shared examples of non-verbal friends who graduated from the Harvard University Extension Program and UC Berkley.

Developing Compassionate Practices

Bonker also geared part of her presentation specifically to oral health care, showing videos of her visits to dental offices and answering questions regarding health care services for the neurodivergent.

She showed a video of a visit to her dentist. Her mother held her hand and Bonker watched videos on her iPhone during her cleaning. She said she can’t use a sonic cleaner because of her sensitivity to sounds. Her dental hygienist uses “old-fashioned dental tools” and lets her see them before putting them into her mouth. Bonker suggested that for new patients, dentists should invite them to their offices the day before to meet the staff, see the equipment and even sit in the chair to make them comfortable and become acclimated to the environment.

Bonkers cautioned against using nitrous oxide on autistic patients because many with autism have mitochondrial disorders and may have adverse effects to the anesthesia. She also said those with autism tend to require more frequent visits because some may struggle with oral care because of their poor motor skills. Also, there are studies that show autistic patients may be more genetically susceptible to tooth decay so consider biogenic biofilm as additional oral care.

One audience member asked if there were any assumptions Bonkers felt dental professionals make about her or individuals with special needs that impact treatment experience.

“We understand everything you say to us so please don’t just talk to our parents,” Bonkers typed.

Another audience member asked if she thought dental facilities should have keyboards available for non-speakers. “Unfortunately, most non-speakers have not yet been taught to type. We are working on that,” she typed. “Try YES or NO cards to ask them questions.”

Speaker Dr. Rozen Shares the Keys to Setting and Implementing Goals at Sunday Plenary

“Empower tomorrow” was not only part of the theme of 2025 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition but also the rallying cry of the Sunday, March 9, Plenary Session on “Building a Culture of Excellence: Excellence Isn’t Optional”, given by psychologist and motivational speaker Michelle Rozen, Ph.D., M.A., “The Change Doctor”.

“When we say, ‘Empower tomorrow, ’ we’re not here to talk,” Dr. Rozen said. “We’re here to do.”

The 6% Club

During her presentation, Dr. Rozen gave an overview of the survey findings discussed in her best-selling book, The 6% Club. In 2023, Dr. Rozen conducted a survey of 1,000 people all over the United States who set goals at the beginning of the year.

“I thought, let’s see over time how many of those people actually follow through?” Dr. Rozen said.

The results showed that 94% dropped their personal or professional goals or objectives by February. So, Dr. Rozen interviewed the 6% of respondents who met their goals and determined what they did differently to achieve them. She shared some of those secrets with plenary attendees so that they, too, could become one of the coveted 6%.

Tidbits for Success

Dr. Rozen said one thing that the six percenters did differently than the 94% was “recruit other people who work with them, not against them.”

They also implemented the “law of specification”, whereby, “The more specific you are . . . the more granular you are in setting and implementing goals, the greater your chance of success,” she said.

Six percenters start small, rather than developing big, overwhelming goals.

She gave an example of someone who, instead of just saying “I will go to the gym more” as a goal, set a specific gym start date. They also set their clothes by their bed the night before, set a morning alarm, and connected with a workout buddy in advance to hold them accountable.

“You only have to be specific and granular like that for 30 days,” Dr. Rozen said. “After that your brain creates a new neuropathway.” It becomes an ingrained habit, she said.

To further illustrate her point of choosing smaller, more specific goals, Dr. Rozen asked attendees to write down three goals along with levels of importance. The goal could be personal or professional. Those who shared their goals won a free signed book of Rozen’s The 6% Club.

She also noted that one of the most important yet forgotten elements to goal setting is “The Power of the Pause,” where you take time to think about your goals.

“From now on, bring the power of the pause into every single day of your life. Some people pray, meditate, or swim. I prefer to walk,” she said.

By the end of the presentation, Dr. Rozen brought the topic back to empowerment by breaking down the word “EMPOWER” into an acronym that attendees could use to help them stay focused on their future goals: Excellence, Magnify, Presence, Outdo, Walk the walk, Evolve and Reward.

“Reward yourself for your accomplishments and don’t obsess about what you did wrong,” Dr. Rozen said.

Winners of the 2025 Student Poster Competition Announced

Congratulations to the Winners of the ADEA Student Poster competition, sponsored by Dentsply Sirona.

First Place

PO-024. How Noncognitive Traits of Grit and Resilience Coincide with Academic Performance of Dental Students
McKenzie Nutter, Taylor Steiner
University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry

Second Place

PO-042. Transforming Dental Education: Empowering Tomorrow's Dentists via Aging-Disability Simulation for Collaborative, Empathetic Care
Karin Arsenault, Troi Davis, John Morgan, Sarah Pagni
Tufts University School of Dental Medicine

Third Place

PO-029. Optimization of Health and Wellness Screening Recommendations for Older Adults
Nina Anderson, Dolores Cannella, Dana Lee, Elina Nourmand, Eric Pun, Deepak Sharma, Mary Truhlar
Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine

See You in Montreal!

Start planning now for the 2026 Annual Session & Exhibition, which will take place March 21-24, 2026, in Montreal, Quebec, Palais des congrès de Montréal. The theme next year is “Bridging Pathways, Advancing Access”, acknowledging that oral health education is uniquely positioned in this moment to bridge pathways for greater access to health for all.

It is in the spirit of collaboration, innovation and our unwavering commitment to better health for all that ADEA welcomes the oral health community throughout North America and around the globe to join us!

Visit adea.org/2026 throughout the year to learn more about Annual Session programming and events and to find out important dates like Call for Programs, registration deadlines, etc.

Thank You for Joining Us!

Today marks the close of 2025 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition at National Harbor, MD. We celebrated 75 years of the ADEAGies Foundation and featured memorable plenary sessions, informative educational sessions, and a busy Exhibit Hall floor. We look forward to seeing you again at #ADEA2026 in Montreal!