Workforce Ambassador Program

ADA Workforce Ambassadors meet virtually on the second Friday of each month to learn and share strategies, hear from subject matter experts, and receive timely updates about workforce-related advocacy issues across the U.S.

Workforce Ambassadors are expected to establish a specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T.) goal to address a workforce challenge in their state.

Workforce Ambassadors will:

• develop relationships with leaders and board members at their state and local dental societies and dental boards
• work with state and local organizations to determine areas of dental team workforce shortage in their state
• review workforce best practices and success stories from other states
• champion workforce initiatives within their state
• bring feedback from state organizations back to the ADA

The ADA will:

• provide ambassadors with information on current workforce initiatives and trends
• provide talking points, data, and other tools to assist in championing workforce initiatives in their state
• organize regular networking sessions where ambassadors can share successes and strategies

Workforce Ambassadors align their S.M.A.R.T. goal with a workforce priority of their state dental society. Below are a few examples of the goals set by Workforce Ambassadors and the specific impact area. This list is not exhaustive.

Goals focused on increasing the rural distribution of dentists by providing dental students opportunities in rural communities:

• create externships for dental students in dental practices and clinics in rural and underserved areas.
• increase dental school rotations and replicate the University of Washington School of Dentistry’s Regional Initiatives in Dental Education (R.I.D.E.) Program.

Goals focused on increasing the pipeline of allied dental team members:

• High School and College-Aged Students
  • increase career awareness and entry pathways in dental and dental team careers among students by leveraging the Student Success Toolkit and statewide education and workforce partners.
  • develop and pilot a statewide Dental Career Pathways Digital Toolkit with a scalable outreach model that member dentists and local/state dental associations can use to engage youth and college-aged audiences through schools and community organizations, both virtually and in person. The toolkit will support educator-led classroom use as well as coordinated workforce engagement activities with dental professionals.

• Allied Dental Team Member:
  • create a toolkit for a public dental assistant program.
  • expand training and certification for dental assistants into communities and areas with high unemployment.
  • create an expedited pathway to dental hygiene licensure for internationally educated dentists.

Learn more by reading this ADA News article and New Dentist News story.

Additional oral health workforce-related resources can be found here:

ADA dental team roles (PDF)

ADA Early Career Dentist

Career pathways

Choosing a career in the allied dental professions