Registration is open for the 2026 Dental Testing & Regulatory Summit and Educators Conference, scheduled for Oct. 14 to 18 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
The five-day event is hosted by the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX), the American Association of Dental Boards (AADB), and the American Association of Dental Administrators (AADA) and will incorporate the annual meetings of the three organizations. Programming will bring together dental regulators, educators, examiners, state regulators, program directors, and faculty to address dental licensure, examination standards, and dental education.
The 2026 Educators Conference will include a hands-on dental hygiene session that gives faculty an opportunity to experience the ADEX exam and SimProDH typodont scaling. Educators can earn up to 4.5 continuing education credits in clinical dentistry and exam preparedness.
“The connections made at this Summit between boards, educators, and examiners are what make real progress possible, and I am confident this year will be our most impactful yet,” said Stephanie Beeler, director of communications, board affairs & events, ADEX. “From new hands-on sessions for dental hygiene educators to expanded programming on licensure and examination standards, this gathering showcases a shared commitment to advancing the profession and the communities we serve.”
ADEX has selected Mission of Mercy Maryland/Pennsylvania (MD/PA) as the charitable partner for the 2026 Summit. Donations collected during registration will support Mission of Mercy's Mobile Dental Clinic, a three-operatory dental office on wheels serving six communities in Maryland. The clinic recently expanded its services to veterans through two new community partnerships.
According to a press release, Mission of Mercy MD/PA has provided free healthcare to nearly 50,000 patients since 1994, recording more than 221,100 visits and dispensing more than 440,900 medications.
The 2026 campaign continues a Summit giving program that has raised more than $50,000 for charities in host cities since 2024. Previous recipients were Mission of Mercy Texas in 2025 and Kentucky-based Kosair for Kids in 2024.
ADEX is a not-for-profit organization established in 1969 to support dental boards in licensing qualified oral health professionals. It administers independent competency examinations developed and approved by representatives of state dental boards. According to ADEX, its examinations are accepted or required by law in 51 U.S. jurisdictions and serve as the initial licensure pathway for 98% of dental candidates and 85% of dental hygiene candidates nationwide.
More information is available at http://www.dental-summit.org/2026.
