Pathways to Bright Futures & Planet Smilez: Working to End the Dental Workforce Shortage in Maryland

Monday, April 7, 2025

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM East Coast USA Time

Location: Gold Coast

Earn 1.0 CE Credit

Speaker(s)

Kathryn M. Pawlak, DDS

Founder and President
Planet Smilez
University of Maryland School of Dentistry
John Welby, MS

Director of Communications
Maryland Department of Health, Office of Oral Health
Clarion University
Lauren Gritzer, DDS, MPH

Dental Public Health Advisor
University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry
University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry

Moderator(s)

Debony R. Hughes, DDS

Director of the Office of Oral Health
Maryland Department of Health

Disclosure(s):

Kathryn M. Pawlak, DDS: No financial relationships to disclose

John Welby, MS: No financial relationships to disclose

Lauren Gritzer, DDS, MPH: No financial relationships to disclose

Debony R. Hughes, DDS: No financial relationships to disclose

Session Description: Addressing the dental workforce shortage is crucial, particularly for those in Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (Dental HPSAs). To combat this, increasing student awareness and interest in dental careers is key. In Maryland, two significant programs, the Maryland Department of Health's Pathways to Bright Futures (PBF) and Planet Smilez Discovering Dentistry Symposium, are tackling this challenge. Funded by HRSA, PBF collaborates with numerous Maryland high schools to educate students about dental careers, provide scholarships, host events at the National Museum of Dentistry, and offer shadowing opportunities. Planet Smilez, a nonprofit organization, focuses on oral health education and career mentorship through hands-on dental symposia. In summer 2024, PBF and Planet Smilez teamed up for a series of one-day seminars, offering career guidance and hands-on experiences to inspire students in Dental HPSAs. This presentation will explore building effective dental pipeline programs, forging partnerships, and organizing symposia to address dental workforce shortages.