WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In response to the growing national shortage of oral health professionals, Planet Smilez is building a pathway for future providers. They believe through early exposure, hands-on learning, and mentorship for students from educationally and economically underserved regions, this can be addressed. By engaging students from dental health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) at a young age and introducing them to careers in dentistry, Planet Smilez is addressing critical workforce gaps and helping improve access to care in underserved communities. Our goal is to inspire the next generation of oral health professionals from dental HPSAs to pursue careers in oral health and return to serve their own communities. To combat this, Dr. Kathryn Pawlak and the Planet Smilez senior leadership team will present the Discovering Dentistry Symposium (DDS).
Planet Smilez is proud to have received funding from Delta Dental as part of their continued dedication to advancing the future of the oral health workforce. Since 2023, Delta Dental has invested more than $1.7 million in programs that support developing comprehensive solutions, innovative pilots, and scalable models that inspire school-aged children from a variety of backgrounds and experiences to pursue careers in oral health. Planet Smilez is honored to be named a 2024 awardee in recognition of its commitment to hosting 10 immersive workshops nationwide.
Source: White Coats, Bright Futures: Expanding the Dental Pipeline / PR Newswire