Vision Elevated, Impact Amplified: Positioning Oral Health Education for the Future Through Strategic Imagination and Collective Purpose

ABSTRACT

As Chair of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Board of Directors for 2026–2027, I introduce the theme Vision Elevated, Impact Amplified—a guiding framework for both my year of service and the 2027 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition in Chicago, Illinois. This theme draws its intellectual foundations from the complementary work of the ADEA Strategic Vision 2035 Task Force (ADEA SV2035) and the ADEA Task Force on Envisioning and Transforming the Future of Oral Health and Education (ADEA TF‐ETFOHE). In this perspective article, I reflect on why I chose this theme, why it matters for oral health education at this critical juncture, and how these dual ADEA Task Forces are important foundations not only for elevating ADEA's vision but also for amplifying future impact. I align this scholarly endeavor with the mission and vision of ADEA and extend an invitation to the oral health education community to actively participate in the foundational inquiries and critical work that will influence our shared future.