Dear Fellow Dental Assistants,
The month of May always feels like one of those beautiful in-between moments. The energy of spring is fully awake, conference season is beginning to bloom, graduates are preparing to step into our profession, and dental assistants everywhere are somehow balancing packed schedules, patient care, broken sterilizers, last-minute schedule changes, and at least one person asking, “Did anyone see my loupes?” all before noon.
In other words… dental assistants are doing what dental assistants do best: making the impossible look effortless.
As we move through this month, I want to take a moment to celebrate each of you and the heart you bring to this profession every single day.
May is also a month filled with meaningful moments of reflection and gratitude. To all of our members celebrating Mother’s Day, I hope you feel appreciated, celebrated, and surrounded by love. To those honoring loved ones on Memorial Day, we pause in gratitude for the brave men and women whose sacrifices continue to protect the freedoms we cherish.
This month also reminds us that growth matters. Not just growth in dentistry… but growth in ourselves, our confidence, our leadership, and our profession.
Across the country, dental assistants continue stepping into bigger conversations about education, advocacy, expanded opportunities, workforce development, and professional recognition. And I want you to know this clearly:
The ADAA is listening. The ADAA is working. And the ADAA is moving forward.
We are continuing important work to strengthen the visibility and voice of dental assistants nationwide. From legislative advocacy efforts to educational updates and collaborative conversations with other dental organizations, our mission remains focused on elevating and supporting dental assistants at every level.
One exciting step forward is the return of state representation within the ADAA leadership structure. We know strong organizations are built through connection, and we are committed to strengthening relationships with our state and local organizations, so every voice has the opportunity to be heard. We are also actively reviewing and refreshing our educational library to better reflect the realities of today’s dental assistant and the future of dentistry. Seeing increased dental assistant representation at major national conferences has been incredibly encouraging, and we will continue advocating for more opportunities centered around assistant education and professional development.
And while we’re talking about progress… can we all agree that dental assistants deserve Olympic-level recognition for the ability to answer three questions, suction, chart, reassure a nervous patient, and mentally calculate the schedule running 20 minutes behind all at the same time? Honestly, if multitasking burned calories, this profession would qualify as a wellness program.
But beneath the humor is something deeply important. Dental assistants are leaders.
We are often the first smile a patient sees and the last reassuring voice they hear before leaving treatment. We create calm in stressful moments. We support clinical excellence. We help practices grow. We mentor teammates. We advocate for patients. And whether the world always sees it or not, our impact is extraordinary. Please never underestimate the value you bring to your team, your patients, or this profession.
As your ADAA President, I remain incredibly hopeful about where we are headed together. I believe the future of dental assisting will be stronger because of the voices willing to advocate, educate, collaborate, and lead with passion.
Thank you for your continued dedication, professionalism, resilience, and heart.
Keep learning. Keep growing. Keep speaking up.
And remember… behind every great dental practice is a dental assistant quietly saving the day before lunch.
With gratitude and pride,
Erin Hendricks, RDA, CCHW
President, American Dental Assistants Association