Hispanic Dental Association: An Organization Forging Leaders and Transforming Hispanic Dentistry

Since its founding in 1990, the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA) has served as a vital entity supporting and promoting the oral healthcare of the Hispanic minority in the United States.

Over its more than 35-year history, the HDA has pursued a clear mission: to unite Hispanic oral health professionals under a single organization, provide visibility and support to Hispanic dental professionals in the United States, and advance the oral health of the Hispanic community through prevention, treatment, and education. The association also fosters research on oral health issues affecting this population and disseminates key findings to both professionals and the public. Its commitment to continuing education is demonstrated through world-class educational programs, specialized medical conferences, and by creating pathways for more Hispanics to pursue careers in oral health.

Established in Texas in the early 1990s, the HDA provided crucial support at a time when the Hispanic population grew by 14 million, becoming the nation's largest minority. This growth was fueled by major migratory waves from Latin America, with communities settling even in states where their presence had not been common, making their impact felt across the entire country.

However, the arriving Hispanic population faced significant challenges. Many came from difficult sociocultural backgrounds, particularly migrants from Cuba and Mexico who constituted the majority, and they entered a country experiencing a significant economic slowdown and a complex job market.

It is essential to remember that in the United States, health insurance covering physical, oral, and mental health is tied to formal employment with social security contributions. The vast majority of Hispanic immigrants, however, relied on informal work, leaving them and their families with virtually no access to healthcare. Although public programs like Medicare and Medicaid existed to serve low-income individuals, they did not extend coverage to Hispanics at the time.

Confronted with this difficult reality, Puerto Ricans Dr. Augusto Elías Boneta and Dr. Francisco Rivera—the organization's first president—founded the HDA to address the community's pressing needs.

Structure and Programs of the Hispanic Dental Association

The HDA was established as a non-profit institution that brings together not only dentists but also hygienists, dental assistants, administrative staff, pre-doctoral students, and residents. This unified workforce is particularly important, as Hispanic health professionals shoulder a disproportionate share of dental care for minority and underserved communities. According to an article in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry, the majority of Hispanic dentists serve Hispanic patients, giving them clearer insight into the specific oral health issues affecting this minority.

The Hispanic Dental Association is organized into two main structures: the professional society and its foundation. The HDA is led by a Board of Trustees that sets national guidelines, supported by local and student chapters in various cities and universities, as well as specialized committees that drive research, communications, and professional development. In parallel, the Hispanic Dental Association Foundation (HDAF) serves as its educational and philanthropic arm, with its own Board of Directors focused on awarding scholarships, providing mentorship, and creating leadership opportunities to encourage Hispanic participation in dentistry and improve oral health within their communities.

The HDAF, also founded in 1990, is dedicated to providing grants and scholarships. In recent years, it has awarded over $100,000 to outstanding dental students, thanks to the support of corporations like Colgate-Palmolive, a founding donor, and Procter & Gamble.

The foundation has created impactful programs such as BOLD (Building Our Leaders in Dentistry), a pre-dental mentorship initiative designed to introduce dentistry as a career path, hoping to inspire more underrepresented minorities to enter the profession. These outreach workshops are aimed at students from elementary through high school.

Additionally, the annual HDA Crest + Oral-B Orgullo Awards recognize individual and student chapters for their contributions, achievements, and support of preventive dental education. The top three contributions receive a cash prize, and an honorable mention is also awarded.

The HDA's academic contribution is reflected in pioneering projects like the first-ever oral health survey of Hispanics in the United States, conducted in collaboration with Crest and Oral-B, to better understand the impact of specific issues this population faces.

Its academic influence is so significant that it has established collaborations with the American Dental Association (ADA), the National Dental Association (NDA), and the Society of American Indian Dentists (SAID) to form the Diverse Dental Society coalition. This non-profit organization is built on collaboration and supports its members in fulfilling their institutional missions of service, education, leadership, and advocacy, especially in underserved communities.

Independently, the HDA has created the Journal of the Hispanic Dental Association (JHDA), a scientific journal that serves as a platform for publishing the association's advances and perspectives in the field of oral health.

Current Status and Strategic Vision

Today, the HDA is led by Dr. Luis Yepes, a Colombian dentist trained at the Universidad Javeriana. He came to the United States in 2007 for a residency in General Medicine at the University of Kentucky, followed by a research fellowship in Endodontics and General Dentistry at the same institution, making significant academic contributions as both a student and an instructor.

The HDA is currently advancing its 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, which is based on five pillars: expanding the member base, strengthening external leadership, engaging the community through education and oral health advocacy, and consolidating brand recognition. Each of these pillars is grounded in the institution's mission, vision, and values, ensuring sustainable growth and a continually expanding impact on the Hispanic community.

This plan can be framed within the SEAL (Support, Education, Advocacy, Leadership) model. Member expansion and retention reinforce mutual support among professionals; oral health training and outreach fulfill the educationcomponent; advocacy for the Hispanic population reflects the advocacy pillar; and the development of internal and external capabilities aligns with leadership. These four core elements are supported by financial stability and brand positioning, which are essential for the solidity and projection of the HDA's mission.

In this way, the HDA is shaping not only the present but also the future of Hispanic dentistry, convinced that today's students are tomorrow's leaders and role models. Being at the forefront is not a luxury; it is a responsibility. It is in this spirit that Automatia Bot has decided to participate in the 2025 HDA Annual Meeting & Student Regional Conference. This congress will be a meeting point for students and professionals committed to the present and future of dentistry.

At Automatia Bot, we are convinced that the transformation of health is built on knowledge, technology, and dedication. And that is why we will be there. We look forward to seeing you to discuss new automation solutions for your practice or clinic, talk about building your digital presence, and provide the support you need in the area of health marketing.