ADA Wellness Ambassador Program

This program was created by the ADA to raise awareness about the unique well-being challenges faced by dental professionals.

Caring for our Caregivers: Why Wellness Matters and How the ADA is Here to Help

“Don’t be silent, reach out and help. Together, and only together, we can make dentistry beautiful”.

Pictured from left to right are the following:

Dr. Mina Ghorbanifarajzadeh – Florida (District 17)
Dr. Parul Dua Makkar – New York (District 2)
LTC (Dr.) Demarcio Reed – Virginia (FDS/District 4)
Dr. Kami Dornfeld, DWAC Chair – North Dakota (District 10)
Sue Hadnot – Montana, Alliance of the ADA
Dr. Pooja Gangwani – Pennsylvania (District 3)
Dr. Stephanie Ganter – Texas (District 15)
Dr. Jordan Pierre – Tennessee (District 6)
Dr. Britni Skoda – Ohio (District 7)
Dr. Darshika Shah – Michigan (District 9)
Dr. Catherine Murphy – Indiana (District 7)
*Dr. Erick Block – not pictured, Massachusetts (District 1)

Inaugural Wellness Ambassador Cohort 1 (2022-2023)

Mrs. Anne Morrison – Nebraska (District 10) President, Alliance of the ADA 
Dr. Cathy Hung – New Jersey (District 4)
Dr. William Hamel III – Illinois (District 8)
Dr. Amisha Singh – Colorado (District 14)
Dr. David Lesansky – North Carolina (District 16)
Dr. Julie Spaniel – Oregon (District 11)
Dr. Joel Collins – Georgia (District 5)
*Dr. Karen Foster – not pictured, Colorado (District 14)

Suicide Postvention Toolkit (PDF)

Resource from the ADA and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to help after a suicide.

Download

ADA Wellness Summit Executive Summary (PDF)

Summary of information shared by panelists at the ADA Health and Well-Being Summit.

Download

Health and Well-Being Summit

ADA News article summarizing the ADA Health and Well-Being Summit held Sept. 8, 2023.

Article

ADA Dental Sound Bites: Your mental health

Guest psychologist Dr. Diana Dill explains how to make your well-being a top priority.

Podcast

New Dentist Blog Post

Interview with Sheela Raja, Ph.D. about how to overcome trauma and improve wellness.

Topic page

May 2023 JADA Ethical Moment

Karen Diane Foster, DDS writes about the ethics of an unexpected loss of a practitioner.

Article

ADA Wellness Ambassadors

Members of the dental community selected to serve on new ADA initiative.

Publication

Interested in becoming an ADA Wellness Ambassador?

Apply to the Wellness Ambassador Program by February 29, 2024.

Candidates must either be a member of the ADA or member of the ADA Alliance and commit to delivering three projects at the end of their onboarding year (which would be September 2024 – September 2025).

Submit a CV and letter of interest to dentalpractice@ada.org.

The letter should include the following:

The dentist’s interest in serving as an ADA Wellness Ambassador.
Leadership experience and interest in wellness topics
Practice modality or type of work (retired dentists or non-practicing dentists who are industry leaders, dental faculty members or dental researchers are all eligible to apply)
State in which dentist works/practices or ADA Trustee District.

If you have any questions, please direct them to dentalpractice@ada.org.

Apply Today