The Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE), the European Dental Students’ Association (EDSA), and Henry Schein announce the winners of the 2026 Oral Health Professional Educators’ Awards.
Category 1: Oral Health Professional Educators’ “Practice Green™” Award (Environmental Sustainability)The Oral Health Professional Educators’ “Practice Green™” Award recognises an ADEE member institution for its commitment to sustainability across education, clinical care, and operations. The award celebrates initiatives such as sustainable campus management, eco-conscious procurement, and the integration of sustainability principles into educational programmes.
Thanks to its “Dental Ecolabel” project, the Université Paris Cité – France, was chosen the winner of the Oral Health Professional Educators’ “Practice Green™” Award. The project involves over 1,000 undergraduate dental students across six clinical settings. The Ecolable framework strives not only to reduce carbon, waste, and improve recycling, but primarily to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable dental practice, encouraging continuous improvement and a new mindset among graduates and staff around the responsibilities and impact of sustainable and ethical care.
Category 2: Oral Health Professional Educators’ “Social Excellence” Award (Social Responsibility)
The ‘Social Excellence’ Award recognises an ADEE member institution that is making a positive difference through social responsibility across education, clinical practice, and operations and helps health happen by recognising improvements in social health outcomes for communities and patients. The award celebrates initiatives that expand access to care, promote inclusion, and support underserved communities.
The University of Dundee – UK developed the Dental Connect project to address oral health inequalities through community engagement and social responsibility. Co-created with students and community partners, the initiative improves oral health among vulnerable groups while fostering collaborative learning and social purpose. Since its inception, the project has delivered more than 2,500 interventions and 78 large-scale events. Its work continues to grow through partnerships such as Smile Train and the development of dental comics to help communicate with service users.
Now in its fourth year, the programme recognises ADEE member institutions for innovative initiatives that integrate sustainability and social responsibility into education, research, clinical practice, and community engagement. By highlighting these best practices, the programme aims to inspire lasting positive impact in oral health education and the communities they serve.
Prof. Ivan Alajbeg, ADEE President, commented: “We are delighted to congratulate the Université Paris Cité and the University of Dundee on their outstanding achievements and the impact of their projects in advancing environmental sustainability and social excellence.”
EDSA Treasurer, Angeliki Anna Gkinosati, stated: “We are very pleased to support the continuation of the Oral Health Professional Educators’ Awards and congratulate this year’s winners. As future oral health professionals, we believe education should prepare us to provide excellent clinical care and at the same time to understand our responsibility towards society and the environment.”
Victoria Goodall, Vice President, Managing Director U.K. and Ireland, Distribution and Marketing EMEA, at Henry Schein, added: “We warmly congratulate this year’s winners on their outstanding achievements. Their projects are a great example of the creative and impactful ideas that can help drive positive change and inspire a more sustainable and socially responsible future for oral health. They also underline the importance of cooperation to help us form a healthier future for all of us – together.”
The Practice Green Award and Social Excellence Award are part of Henry Schein Cares, Henry Schein’s global corporate citizenship programme, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Through Henry Schein Cares, the Company works to create positive change across five key areas, including expanding access to health care, advancing innovation, empowering Team Schein, building strong relationships, and sustaining the planet.
