ADEA Statement Calls for COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements for Dental Schools, Programs

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the face of surging infections by the delta variant, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is now calling on its member institutions and programs to require COVID-19 vaccinations for their faculty, staff, students and residents.

The well-being of oral health professionals who provide oral health care and educate future dental professionals is a top priority for ADEA, which believes that the oral health community must continue to set a positive example when it comes to vaccinations.

“COVID-19 vaccines are widely and easily available in the United States, and their efficacy has been clearly and scientifically established,” said ADEA President and CEO Karen West, D.M.D., M.P.H. “We need to do all we can to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed more than 4.5 million people around the world, including 660,000 in the United States alone. The COVID-19 vaccines are a crucial tool in turning the tide in this pandemic.”

ADEA’s statement comes in the wake of an Executive Order requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for federal employees. Additionally, a Joint Statement issued by the American Public Health Association and more than four dozen other health care organizations calls for all health care and long-term care employers to require their employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has more detail on the COVID-19 vaccines and their effectiveness in reducing transmission of the coronavirus.

About ADEA: The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is The Voice of Dental Education. Our mission is to lead and support the health professions community in preparing future-ready oral health professionals. Our members include all 78 U.S. and Canadian dental schools, more than 800 allied and advanced dental education programs, more than 50 corporations and approximately 18,000 individuals. Our activities encompass a wide range of research, advocacy, faculty development, meetings and communications, including the esteemed Journal of Dental Education^®, as well as the dental school application services ADEA AADSAS^®, ADEA PASS^®, ADEA DHCAS^® and ADEA CAAPID^®. For more information, visit adea.org.