The American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) has selected Mission of Mercy Maryland/Pennsylvania (MD/PA) as the charitable partner for the third annual Dental Testing & Regulatory Summit and Educators Conference, with donations from the event designated to support the organization's mobile dental clinic serving uninsured patients and veterans.
Scheduled for Oct. 14-18, 2026, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, the five-day event brings together ADEX, the American Association of Dental Boards (AADB), the American Association of Dental Administrators (AADA), and participants in the ADEX Educators Conference. Attendees will be invited to contribute to the fundraising campaign during registration.
Mission of Mercy MD/PA has provided free healthcare to nearly 50,000 patients across Maryland and Pennsylvania since 1994. According to the organization, it has recorded more than 221,100 patient visits and dispensed more than 440,900 medications. Funds raised through the summit will support Mission of Mercy’s Mobile Dental Clinic, a three-operatory dental office on wheels that serves six communities in Maryland and recently expanded services to veterans through two new community partnerships.
“The people walking through our clinic doors have often gone years without seeing a dentist, not because they don't care about their health, but because they simply cannot afford it,” said Jennifer White, executive director of Mission of Mercy Maryland/Pennsylvania. “Our volunteers work hard every single week to change that, and donations from this Summit will help us reach even more people who are counting on us.”
The summit is expected to draw dental and dental hygiene program directors, faculty leadership, state board representatives, and examiners from across the country for discussions on licensure policy, examination standards, and dental education. Organizers described the conference as one of the few settings where regulators and educators meet to address challenges facing the profession.
“What Mission of Mercy does every day for underserved patients is remarkable, and collectively these organizations support finding a meaningful way to expand that work,” said Stephanie Beeler, director of communications, board affairs and events for ADEX and Summit spokesperson. “The impact of Mission of Mercy is seen in the communities they serve, and we are proud to contribute to their efforts.”
The charitable initiative continues a tradition established by the Dental Testing & Regulatory Summit. Since 2024, the event has raised more than $50,000 for nonprofit organizations in host communities, including Mission of Mercy Texas in 2025 and Kosair for Kids in 2024.
ADEX, a not-for-profit organization established in 1969, supports dental boards in their mission to protect the public through the licensure of qualified oral health professionals. The organization administers 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 www.amissionofmercy.org/maryland-pennsylvania.
