SEATTLE, March 19, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) has awarded a fellowship to support advocating for public policy that positively impacts dental education and oral health care. Mark S. Schweizer, D.D.S., M.P.H., Assistant Professor and Director of Development and Special Projects at NOVA Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was named the 2013 ADEA/Sunstar Americas, Inc./Harry W. Bruce, Jr. Legislative Fellow at the 2013 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition, being held March 16-19 in Seattle, Washington.
"This fellowship offers an exciting opportunity for dental educators to immerse themselves in the federal legislative process," says ADEA President Gerald N. Glickman, D.D.S., M.S., M.B.A., J.D. "It is crucial that policymakers recognize the enormous impact that dental education has on the oral health of all Americans. ADEA has had the support of Sunstar Americas, Inc., in the pursuit of this goal for more than 25 years and for that we are grateful."
Dr. Schweizer will work for three months as a staff member for the ADEA Policy Center in Washington, DC, supporting the legislative process as it relates to dental education, dental and craniofacial research, and the oral health of the nation. He will have the opportunity to draft policy and advocate and educate members of Congress on matters of importance in dental education, such as federal student loans, loan repayment, scholarship programs, and access to oral health care.
"The improvement of patients' oral health should be the common motive held by legislators, dental professionals, and dental educators alike. Yet, there is opportunity for improved communication and collaboration between leaders in dental education and national policymakers," says Aaron Pfarrer, Senior Director of Professional Relations at Sunstar Americas, Inc. "ADEA has been firm in its commitment to building the alliances necessary for these groups to work together. By supporting this fellowship, Sunstar Americas, Inc., proudly stands with ADEA and Dr. Glickman in this effort."
Since its inception in 1985, ADEA's Harry W. Bruce, Jr. Legislative Fellowship has been generously underwritten by Sunstar Americas, Inc., manufacturer of GUM®, Butler® and Guidor® oral care products.
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About the American Dental Education Association
The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is the voice of dental education. Its members include all U.S. and Canadian dental schools and many allied and advanced dental education programs, corporations, faculty, and students. The mission of ADEA is to lead individuals and institutions of the dental education community to address contemporary issues influencing education, research, and the delivery of oral health care for the health of the public. ADEA's activities encompass a wide range of research, advocacy, faculty development, meetings, and communications like the esteemed Journal of Dental Education, as well as the dental school admissions services AADSAS, PASS, DHCAS, and CAAPID. For more information about ADEA, visit www.adea.org.
The American Dental Education Association logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=12061
About the ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition
The ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition is the premier professional development and networking event in academic dentistry, featuring four days of dynamic plenary sessions and workshops, and an exhibit hall show casing academic dentistry's leading partners and suppliers. For more information, visit www.adea.org.
The 2013 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=16064
About Sunstar Americas, Inc.
Chicago-based Sunstar Americas, Inc., (formerly, John O. Butler Company) is a member of the Sunstar Group of companies, a global organization headquartered in Switzerland that serves oral health care professionals and consumers in 90 countries around the world. Sunstar's mission is to enhance the health and well-being of people everywhere via its four business areas: mouth and body, health and beauty, healthy home and safety and technology. Please visit us at www.sunstar.com.