Learning For Life ADA nets highest honor for youth career work

San Diego鈥擳he national organization that provides hands-on opportunities for youth to explore career interests March 10 bestowed its highest honor for career education on the American Dental Association.

Learning For Life聽presented the William H. Spurgeon III Award to the ADA, the Council on Dental Education and Licensure and staff member Beverly Skoog for close association and collaboration with its Health Careers Exploring program, which provides a variety of ways for students age 14-20 to shadow professionals and learn about careers in health care.

The ADA has collaborated with Learning For Life to promote dentistry as a profession to youth, with an emphasis on students from diverse backgrounds. One result of that collaboration are the Dental Explorer Posts around the country that are coordinated by component and constituent dental societies and individual dentists. Explorer Posts provide opportunities for students to attend workshops on dental career options, career guidance, dental education and dental specialties, establish mentor contacts and even participate in hands-on activities such as suturing pig mandibles, which takes place at the Metro Denver Dental Society’s award-winning Explorer Post.

“Learning For Life reaches out to youth at a time in their lives when they are most amenable to guiding their education and career choices,” said Dr. Frederick Eichmiller, chair of the Learning For Life Health Careers Exploring Committee, and vice president and dental director of Delta Dental of Wisconsin.

“These are bright, young, inquisitive minds that only require a little mentoring to guide them into a future in dentistry and health care,” said Dr. Eichmiller. “The ADA is molding the future of the dental profession by participating in this program.”

Ms. Skoog, ADA career guidance programs liaison, attended the National Learning For Life Conference and accepted the ADA award. Ms. Skoog also presented a seminar on behalf of the ADA titled, “Strategies to Accelerate Collaborative Outreach Activities” at the conference.

For more information on creating a local Explorer Post or other dental career resources, contact Ms. Skoog at Ext. 2390 or skoogb@ada.org. The ADA Web site has a wealth of information on careers, too, at www.ada.org/goto/careers.