About the
AIDPH Academy

The AIDPH Academy offers range of professional development opportunities tailored for oral health stakeholders seeking dental public health training without the constraints of formal education programs. AIDPH specializes in immersive, short-term, and cost-effective training initiatives, providing oral health professionals with a rigorous platform to enhance their skills. Our flexible educational environment empowers individuals to sharpen their capacity and contribute to the development of equitable oral health solutions.

Designed for  Everyone 

The AIDPH Academy presents a range of engagement opportunities to suit different levels of commitment. Choose from accessible webinars and workshops designed for busy schedules, or dive deeper with our immersive fellowships and the annual colloquium for a more substantial professional development experience.

Webinars and Workshops

Meetings on a specific topic or initiative made to deliver information to a broader network

Learning Collaboratives

Informal meetings on an overarching topic focused on growth and collective action

Certificates

Dedicated curriculum pathways to earn a certificate signaling expertise in an established topic

Fellowships

Dedicated curriculum that is explored in longer terms to earn a certificate and moniker of “Fellow of the Academy”

Colloquium

Intensive topical examination that is interactive and geared for personal and professional development

Our  Learning  Framework

Building confident, effective leaders is crucial to sustaining the dental public health profession and the communities it serves. Oral health professionals are seeking learning opportunities that complement traditional education experiences and address the evolving oral health disparities and systemic inequities in their communities. To meet this need, AIDPH developed an innovative educational framework.

The Empowering Transformation for Community Health (ETCH) Framework guides AIDPH educational programming and our approach to broader community engagement. Our ETCH Framework incorporates adult learning principles that enhance personal and professional development while complementing traditional academic pursuits. 
Through this framework, we aim to:
  • Promote critical reflection and encourage learners to challenge their assumptions while transforming their perspectives.
  • Emphasize community engagement by creating opportunities for dialogue, collaboration, and collective action within the community.
  • Address social, political, and environmental determinants of health by encouraging learners to explore the systemic factors that contribute to oral health disparities and take action to promote equity.
  • Foster critical consciousness and empower individuals to become agents of change within their communities.
  • Drive community engagement by involving participants in problem-solving, decision-making, and advocacy related to oral health equity.
  • Examine the power structures surrounding oral health and empower learners to disrupt systems of oppression through a health justice approach.

About AIDPH

The American Institute of Dental Public Health (AIDPH) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization committed to transforming dental public health through collaboration, connection, and community. Serving as a catalyst for change, we advocate for a justice-oriented oral health system that prioritizes equity and inclusion in our core focus areas: veterans, LGBTQIA+, rural, and disability communities. We empower communities to advance oral health through research, education, and advocacy.

One way we achieve this is through the educational programming offered by the AIDPH Academy. Our impact is driven by the dedication of professionals committed to advancing equity and justice in oral health.

Meet the Team

Annaliese Cothron, DHSc, MS, CPH

she/her
Executive Director

Keri Eason,
MA, PhD

she/her
Director of Research and Impact

Elizabeth Flannery, MPH

she/her
Director of Education
and Leadership

Grace Linn, MA

she/her
Director of Communications

Samantha Lossett

she/her
Community Education and Outreach Coordinator

Kristina Lusk

she/her
Manager of Content and Learning Design