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American Dental Education Association

EIN 91-1993281 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 148 cents.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

TO DEVELOP A FUTURE-READY ORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE PREPARED TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF ALL PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH LEADERSHIP, EDUCATION AND COLLABORATION.

Income
$38.8 million
Spending
$41.3 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
7.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 95%
Employees
82
Volunteers
300
Highest pay
$638,350, president and ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 24% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 148 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (6)
  1. $15.0 million spent. THE ADEA DIVISION OF EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS OFFERS APPLICANTS TO DENTAL, ALLIED DENTAL AND ADVANCED DENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS CENTRALIZED APPLICATION SERVICES (CAS) TO PROMOTE A STRAIGHTFORWARD AND CONVENIENT PROCESS OF APPLYING TO DENTAL SCHOOLS OR PROGRAMS. EACH CAS STREAMLINES THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR BOTH APPLICANTS AND PROGRAMS BY ALLOWING APPLICANTS TO COMPLETE ONE APPLICATION FOR MULTIPLE SCHOOLS OR PROGRAMS. ADEA'S FOUR CAS ARE:1. ADEA AADSAS (ASSOCIATED AMERICAN DENTAL SCHOOLS APPLICATION SERVICE) FOR TRADITIONAL D.D.S. AND D.M.D. PROGRAMS AT ALL U.S. DENTAL SCHOOLS. 2. ADEA CAAPID (CENTRALIZED APPLICATION FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DENTISTS) IS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATED DENTAL GRADUATES WHO WISH TO PRACTICE DENTISTRY IN THE U.S. THESE PROGRAMS OFFER ADVANCED STANDING PROGRAMS THAT ARE TYPICALLY SHORTER IN LENGTH COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL DENTAL DEGREES.3. ADEA PASS (POSTDOCTORAL APPLICATION SUPPORT SERVICE) IS FOR DENTAL STUDENTS AND DENTISTS PURSUING ADVANCED DENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.4. ADEA DHCAS (DENTAL HYGIENE CENTRALIZED APPLICATION SERVICE) IS FOR DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAMS AT ALL EDUCATION LEVELS.
  2. $8.3 million spent. THE ADEA OFFICE OF LEARNING (OL) INCLUDES THE ADEA DEPARTMENTS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PD) AND ADEA MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY (MCET). ADEA OL PROVIDES ALL LOGISTICAL SUPPORT, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, AND REVIEW FOR ALL ADEA MEETINGS, EVENTS, CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIA AND WORKSHOPS; ONLINE LEARNING AND EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, INCLUDING ADEA ELEARN, ADEA LEADE AND CONFERENCE APPS AND ONLINE PLANNERS; AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS; LEADERSHIP AND FACULTY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING; SPEAKER MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING; CE OVERSIGHT AND MANAGEMENT; EXHIBITS AND SPONSORSHIP SUPPORT.
  3. $3.1 million spent. THE ADEA DIVISION OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MEMBERSHIP (DCM) IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADEA'S EFFORTS TO ADVANCE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT OF ACADEMIC DENTAL INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATION'S HEALTH. DCM SERVES AS THE ORGANIZATION-WIDE RESOURCE FOR ADEA'S COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING STRATEGY, MESSAGING, MEDIA RELATIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA; WEBSITE CONTENT DEVELOPMENT, STRATEGY AND REDESIGN EFFORTS; BRANDING AND REPUTATION MANAGEMENT; GRAPHIC DESIGN AND ADVERTISING; PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING THE ADEA PRINT AND ONLINE JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, BULLETIN OF DENTAL EDUCATION, ADEA OFFICIAL GUIDE TO DENTAL SCHOOLS AND ONLINE DENTAL SCHOOL EXPLORER; DENTAL EDUCATION JOBS BOARD AND ADEA DIRECTORY OF INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS; PUBLISHING AND EDITORIAL SERVICES; VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES; MEMBERSHIP SERVICES AND MEMBER ENGAGEMENT, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS; PRODUCT QUALITY CONTROL AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND STRATEGIES TO REACH THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIORITY AUDIENCES; AND DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING CAMPAIGNS TO PROMOTE ADEA PROGRAMS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES, MEETINGS AND EVENTS.
  4. $2.1 million spent. ACCESS, SUCCESS AND IMPACT - ADEA'S OFFICE OF ACCESS, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IS DEDICATED TO PROMOTING SUPPORTIVE DENTAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTS THAT EMBRACE DIFFERENCES, FOSTER EQUITY AND INCLUSION FOR DENTAL AND ALLIED DENTAL STUDENTS, RESIDENTS, FELLOWS, FACULTY, STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS AT ADEA MEMBER INSTITUTIONS AND ITS CONSTITUENCIES. ADEA'S COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH PROGRAMMING, MEETINGS, INITIATIVES AND RESOURCES, AWARENESS EFFORTS AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS. ADEA ASI STRIVES TO ENSURE THAT SUCCESS, ACCESS, CULTURAL COMPETENCE, INCLUSION AND BELONGING ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF DENTAL EDUCATION AND ADEA'S VOICE AS A LEADER IN HEALTH PROFESSIONS' EDUCATION.
  5. $743,412 spent. OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND RESEARCH - THE ADEA OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND RESEARCH (OEPR) CONDUCTS EDUCATIONAL POLICY RESEARCH AND STUDIES IN AREAS RELEVANT TO THE NEEDS OF DENTAL EDUCATION, INCLUDING THE STUDY OF DATA ANALYSIS, RECOMMENDATIONS, PACKAGING AND DISTRIBUTION OF EDUCATIONAL POLICY RELEVANT FOR ACADEMIC DENTAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE ORAL HEALTH COMMUNITY. ADEA OEPR PRODUCES POLICY PAPERS AND RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS THAT INFORM ADEA MEMBERS AND STRENGTHEN DENTAL, ALLIED DENTAL AND ADVANCED DENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS WHILE SUPPORTING ORAL HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH PROFESSIONS' EDUCATION COLLABORATIONS AND INITIATIVES.
  6. $1.2 million spent. ADVOCACY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS (AGR) - ADEA AGR PROVIDES INFORMATION ON POLICY AND POLITICS IN WASHINGTON, DC, ALL 50 STATES, PUERTO RICO AND CANADA. AS THE VOICE OF DENTAL EDUCATION, ADEA AGR WORKS TO SHAPE LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS THAT SUPPORT AND ADVANCE ACADEMIC DENTISTRY AND DENTAL AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 1999.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.