FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ADHA’s Hygienist Inspired Program Named 2026 Delta Dental Future Workforce Fund Awardee
Three-year funding will support chairside recruitment and community outreach that introduce more students to dental hygiene careers
CHICAGO, Nov. 3, 2026—The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) Hygienist Inspired program is one of five 2026 awardees of the Delta Dental Future Workforce Fund, announced by Delta Dental on Oct. 21 with funding committed for the next three years. The nearly $3 million in total funding will help the awarded organizations expand, evaluate and sustain programs that introduce young people to oral health careers and build stronger pathways into the profession. Since 2023, Delta Dental has committed more than $5.6 million to the fund.
Hygienist Inspired is a multiyear ADHA initiative that strengthens the dental hygiene workforce through chairside recruitment and community outreach, drawing on dental hygienists’ expertise and patient relationships to inspire new career opportunities, expand pathways into the profession and help build a workforce that reflects the communities it serves.
“The future of oral health depends on whether young people can see a place for themselves in the profession, and have someone open the door,” said Marlyce James, EdD(c), RDH, CDA, FADHA, program manager of ADHA’s Hygienist Inspired program. “This three-year investment will help our Ambassadors and Allies build meaningful connections, introduce students to dental hygiene, and strengthen pathways into a workforce that reflects the communities it serves.”
“A strong oral health workforce requires more than promising ideas — it requires sustained investment, collaboration, and a commitment to learning what works,” said James W. Hutchison, president and CEO of Delta Dental Plans Association. “Through this three-year funding commitment, we will help proven organizations deepen their impact, strengthen evaluation, and share approaches that can be replicated across communities. Together, we are investing in the next generation of oral health professionals and expanding access to care for years to come.”
The other 2026 awardees are the American Dental Education Association, the Hispanic Dental Association, Mentorships in Dentistry, Inc. and Planet Smilez, Inc.
The three-year funding commitment reflects industry best practices outlined in Delta Dental’s white paper, The Pathway Effect: A Guide to Strengthening the Oral Health Workforce Through Early Exposure Programs. To learn more about the fund and its awardees, visit deltadental.com/fund.
To learn more about Hygienist Inspired, visit adha.org/HygienistInspired.
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About the American Dental Hygienists’ Association
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is the largest organization representing the professional interests of the more than 220,000 dental hygienists in the United States. Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals, licensed in dental hygiene, who provide educational, clinical and therapeutic services that support total health through the promotion of optimal oral health. The Journal of Dental Hygiene (JDH), published bi-monthly, is ADHA’s scientific journal and flagship publication. To learn more about the ADHA, dental hygiene or the link between oral health and general health, visit adha.org.
Media Contact
Bronwyn Barrera
ADHA
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