ADEX summit names Mission of Mercy MD/PA as charity partner

Mission of Mercy Maryland/Pennsylvania will benefit from donations tied to the third annual Dental Testing & Regulatory Summit and Educators Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Oct. 14-18, 2026. The campaign aims to support the group’s mobile dental clinic as the organization continues providing free care across Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Why it matters: - Mission of Mercy Maryland/Pennsylvania provides free healthcare to people who often cannot afford dental care. - Donations from the summit are expected to help the organization expand access through its Mobile Dental Clinic and community partnerships. - The giving campaign continues a three-year tradition that has raised more than $50,000 for charities tied to the event.

What happened: - The American Board of Dental Examiners selected Mission of Mercy Maryland/Pennsylvania as the charitable partner for the third annual Dental Testing & Regulatory Summit and Educators Conference. - The five-day event will take place Oct. 14-18, 2026, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. - ADEX, the American Association of Dental Boards, the American Association of Dental Administrators and the ADEX Educators Conference are part of the event. - Summit participants will be invited to contribute to the giving campaign during registration.

The details: - Mission of Mercy Maryland/Pennsylvania has served nearly 50,000 patients in Maryland and Pennsylvania since 1994. - The organization has recorded more than 221,100 visits and dispensed over 440,900 medications. - Donations will support Mission of Mercy’s Mobile Dental Clinic, a three-operatory dental office on wheels. - The mobile clinic serves six communities in Maryland. - Two new community partnerships have expanded the clinic’s reach to veterans. - Dental and dental hygiene program directors, faculty leadership, state board representatives and examiners from across the country will attend the summit. - Sessions will cover licensure policy, examination standards and dental education. - The summit is one of the few venues where regulators and educators gather to address major profession-wide challenges together. - Donations to Mission of Mercy Maryland/Pennsylvania can be made during summit registration. - The campaign has previously supported Mission of Mercy Texas in 2025 and Kosair for Kids in 2024. - More information is available at supporting Mission of Mercy Maryland/Pennsylvania.

Between the lines: - The summit is pairing policy and education programming with a charitable push that ties the dental profession’s regulatory leaders to frontline patient care. - Mission of Mercy’s scale and mobile model make it a practical fit for a donation drive focused on direct service. - ADEX’s choice of beneficiary also keeps the event’s giving tradition aligned with oral health access.

What's next: - Summit attendees will be able to donate when they register for the Oct. 14-18 conference. - Mission of Mercy Maryland/Pennsylvania is positioned to use the funds for its mobile clinic and related outreach. - The event’s fundraising total will add to the more than $50,000 already raised across the past three years.