Talk about an inclusive opportunity. With their new contest called Smile Tank, the ADA invites dentists to help make their profession more inclusive and diverse. In theme with the “Shark Tank” TV show, top ideas will be pitched and winners rewarded. Dentists can enter the contest at ADA.org/diversityandinclusion by answering one question prior to the September 17 deadline: “How can the ADA create a culture of diversity and inclusion for the dental profession?”

The ADA Diversity and Inclusion Committee will select the top five suggestions and reward their brilliant creators with a platform for their ideas. Finalists will present before a panel of judges at SmileCon in Las Vegas on Tuesday, October 12. Sharing the best ideas in the next 10 days means a win in Las Vegas for one innovator — a $2500 prize — and a win for the profession of dentistry — a brighter future.

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Dentists with ideas to help make their profession more inclusive and diverse are invited to share them with the ADA Smile Tank contest by September 17.

For contest specifics, rules for eligibility and to find out who will sit on the judging panel, visit ADA News HERE.

Learn more about Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships here

Earlier this year, Benco Dental announced a partnership with, and support for, Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships, a 501(C)(3) nonprofit educational organization with a mission to educate and empower underrepresented minority students to explore dentistry through mentoring. 

Racial diversity among dentists does not mirror that of the U.S. population. In the latest report from the Health Policy Institute, of all U.S. dentists, only 3.8% are Black, 5.2% are Hispanic and 1.1% totaled American Indian, Alaska Native, and Pacific Islanders.

What inspired founder to create Diversity In Dentistry Mentorships?

Dr. Laila Hishaw created the Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships to educate, empower, and mentor African American youth and other underrepresented minorities to dentistry. According to diversitydentistry.org, the organization’s goal is to show those youngsters that dentistry is a rewarding career and an attainable goal early on in life.

Hear more from Dr. Laila Hishaw here.