Despite continued progress in dental education and practice, access to care, professional advancement, and recognition within the field remain uneven, particularly for individuals and communities affected by institutional and social barriers. These forces shape not only who enters and advances within dentistry, but also how oral health professionals engage with complex patient needs and social realities in clinical and educational settings. 

This session of "The Pulse of Progress: Legacy Builders in Oral Health" speaker series moves beyond introductory awareness to examine dentistry’s evolving role in supporting and advocating for survivors of human trafficking, an often unseen population whose oral health needs frequently fall outside traditional care pathways. Through a moderated discussion, dental professionals engaged in clinical practice, education, forensics, and survivor advocacy will share lessons from frontline and systems-level work, highlighting ethical complexity, interprofessional collaboration, and sustainable approaches to survivor-responsive care. 

By centering voices engaged in frontline advocacy, education, and policy work, the session highlights how oral health professionals can expand pathways for engagement, strengthen interprofessional networks, and contribute meaningfully to public health and human rights efforts. Participants will explore practical strategies for integrating survivor-responsive approaches into education, clinical practice, and institutional leadership, reinforcing dentistry’s role as a critical partner in addressing complex social determinants of health. 

"The Pulse of Progress: Legacy Builders in Oral Health" speaker series is designed to amplify the significant yet underrecognized contributions, challenges and successes of voices that have been historically eclipsed within the oral health field. This series responds to those realities by creating space for thoughtful dialogue, connection and shared learning. Through meaningful conversations and expert insights, this series aims to dismantle these barriers, highlight pathways, foster a sense of community and inspire future leaders in the oral profession.   

Learning Objectives

• Assess how trauma and prior health care experiences influence patient engagement, trust and treatment outcomes, and identify implications for dental education and clinical instruction.
• Examine oral health education’s role within multidisciplinary efforts to support survivors of human trafficking, including ethical considerations and systems-level responsibilities relevant to training future oral health professionals.
• Identify educational and institutional strategies that strengthen collaboration with external partners and prepare learners for complex patient care scenarios.
• Apply survivor-responsive principles to curriculum design, clinical supervision or program leadership to support effective patient care and professional practice.

Original Release Date:  April 16, 2026

Expiration Date:  April 16, 2029

Questions?  Contact learn@adea.org

Teaching Method: Lecture

Disclaimer 

The purpose of this program is to educate and inform. Information provided in this program is not a substitute for professional care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests at this presentation express their own experience, opinions and conclusions, which do not necessarily reflect those of their employer or any organization or group with whom they may be affiliated. Expressed viewpoints and opinions by speaker(s), presenter(s), guest(s) and/or facilitator(s) are also not those of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), ADEA staff or the ADEA Board of Directors. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity or therapy should not be construed as an endorsement by ADEA.

CE Information

ADEA is an ADA CERP recognized provider.

ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry. Concerns or complaints about a continuing education (CE) provider may be directed to the provider or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at CCEPR.ada.org.

ADEA designates this activity for 1.0 continuing education credits.

CE credit is awarded for overall participation in the ADEA eLearn webinar, "Resilient Smiles: Oral Health’s Role in Human Trafficking Survivor Advocacy."

All speakers agree that neither they nor members of their immediate family have any financial relationships with commercial entities that may be relevant to their presentation.  

Technological Assistance 

For technological assistance, please reach out to the ADEA eLearn team at learn@adea.org.  

Content Questions  

For questions related to the content or educational materials, please reach out to the ADEA eLearn team at learn@adea.org.  

Membership Assistance 

For membership related questions (e.g. login issues, password reset, etc.), please reach out to the ADEA membership team at membership@adea.org.