ADHA Announces Integrated Care Summit 2026 Bridging the Gaps to Whole-Person Care in Broomfield Colorado

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has officially scheduled the Integrated Care Summit 2026: Bridging the Gaps to Whole-Person Care, a landmark interprofessional event designed to dismantle the traditional silos separating oral health from general medicine and behavioral health. Set to take place from May 15 to May 17, 2026, at the Omni Interlocken Resort in Broomfield, Colorado, the summit represents a significant pivot in the healthcare landscape, moving toward a model where the mouth is treated as an integral part of the body’s systemic health. The two-day symposium and workshop will convene a diverse array of professionals, including dental hygienists, dentists, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and public health leaders, to foster a collaborative environment focused on improving patient outcomes through integrated clinical practice.

The Critical Intersection of Oral and Systemic Health

The impetus for the 2026 summit is rooted in a growing body of clinical evidence that links oral pathologies to chronic systemic conditions. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 42% of adults in the United States aged 30 and older suffer from some form of periodontal disease. This statistic becomes increasingly alarming when viewed alongside the American Heart Association’s (AHA) December 2025 scientific statement published in the journal Circulation. The AHA report detailed a definitive correlation between periodontal disease and an elevated risk for severe cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure.

Despite the established biological pathways connecting oral inflammation to systemic disease—often through the mechanism of chronic inflammatory responses and the entry of oral bacteria into the bloodstream—a persistent gap remains in professional education. Current data suggests that the majority of medical school curricula in the United States dedicate fewer than five hours to oral health education throughout the entire four-year training period. This educational deficit often leaves primary care physicians and nurses ill-equipped to identify early markers of dental disease that could complicate the management of chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease. The Integrated Care Summit aims to address this discrepancy by providing a platform for shared learning and the standardization of cross-disciplinary screenings.

A Strategic Coalition of Healthcare Leaders

The 2026 summit is distinguished by the high level of collaboration between traditionally separate professional organizations. The American Heart Association’s Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts Initiative and the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) have joined as collaborating organizations, a move that signals a unified front across the medical and dental sectors. This partnership highlights a shared recognition that the burden of chronic disease cannot be managed effectively without addressing oral health.

Lancette VanGuilder, BS, RDH, President of the ADHA, emphasized that the summit is designed to translate theoretical collaboration into practical application. VanGuilder noted that while the concept of interprofessional care has been discussed for years, the summit provides the necessary framework to put these ideas into action within the clinical setting. The presence of the AGD and the AHA underscores a multidisciplinary commitment to coordinated care, ensuring that the protocols developed at the summit are applicable across various practice environments, from private dental offices to large-scale hospital systems.

Chronology of the Integrated Care Movement

The path toward the 2026 summit has been paved by several years of evolving health policy and scientific discovery. Historically, dentistry and medicine were separated in the mid-19th century, a divide that resulted in separate insurance structures, electronic health records (EHRs), and educational tracks. However, the early 2020s saw a resurgence in the "whole-person" care philosophy, driven by the rising costs of chronic disease management.

• December 2025: The American Heart Association publishes its updated scientific statement in Circulation, providing the clinical foundation for the summit’s cardiovascular focus.
• January 2026: Preliminary planning committees representing the ADHA and the AGD begin drafting the interprofessional care mapping exercises.
• April 17, 2026: The official announcement of the summit and the opening of registration.
• May 15–17, 2026: The summit convenes in Broomfield, Colorado, offering 10.0 live/interactive continuing education (CE) and continuing medical education (CME) credits.

The event is dual-accredited through the American Academy of Dental Hygiene for dental professionals and through the ACCME, ACPE, and ANCC for medical professionals. This joint accreditation, facilitated by the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES), ensures that the credits earned are recognized across all participating disciplines, further bridging the professional divide.

Innovative Programming and Clinical Simulations

The summit’s agenda is structured to move beyond traditional lecture-style learning, incorporating hands-on clinical simulation labs and breakout sessions focused on emerging healthcare technologies. One of the central features of the event is the "Activation Station Lounge" located on the exhibit floor. This interactive space allows attendees to experience cutting-edge diagnostic tools firsthand.

Participants will have the opportunity to use Dento’s ORALyzer technology, which analyzes saliva biomarkers to produce an "Oral Fitness Score" within minutes. Such technology represents the future of preventative care, allowing clinicians to identify risk factors for disease before clinical symptoms appear. Additionally, the American Heart Association’s Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts Initiative will lead blood pressure screening simulations, while the Henry Schein station will offer practice in A1C point-of-care testing. These screenings are vital in a dental setting, where patients may visit more frequently than they do a primary care physician, providing a unique opportunity for early detection of hypertension and diabetes.

The breakout sessions will delve into complex topics such as tele-dentistry, behavioral health integration, and health equity. Behavioral health, in particular, is a critical component of the summit. Many patients experience dental anxiety or have mental health conditions that impact their ability to maintain oral hygiene. By integrating behavioral health professionals into the conversation, the summit aims to provide dental hygienists and dentists with the tools to manage the psychological aspects of patient care.

Corporate Advocacy and Economic Implications

The summit is supported by major industry partners, with CareQuest Institute for Oral Health and Henry Schein serving as platinum sponsors. These organizations have long advocated for a systemic approach to healthcare, citing both the clinical and economic benefits of integrated care.

Pam Richter, Director of Corporate Affairs at Henry Schein, highlighted that a holistic approach prioritizing prevention delivers a "win-win-win" scenario: healthier patients, stronger families, and lower overall costs for society. From an economic perspective, the lack of integrated care leads to significant waste in the healthcare system. For example, emergency room visits for preventable dental conditions cost the U.S. healthcare system billions of dollars annually. By identifying oral health issues in a medical setting or systemic issues in a dental setting, the healthcare system can shift from expensive reactive treatments to cost-effective preventative measures.

Katie D’Amico, Vice President of Growth & Innovation at CareQuest, reiterated that addressing the complex challenges of integrated care requires intense collaboration across the entire health care ecosystem. CareQuest’s involvement underscores a commitment to health equity, as underserved populations are often the most affected by the separation of dental and medical services. Integrated care models have the potential to close these gaps by providing comprehensive services in a single location or through coordinated referral networks.

Broader Impact on the Healthcare Workforce

The 2026 Integrated Care Summit also serves as a catalyst for the evolution of the dental hygiene profession. Dental hygienists are increasingly being recognized as "prevention specialists" who are uniquely positioned to lead the charge in integrated care. Because hygienists often spend more time with patients than any other healthcare provider, they are ideal candidates for conducting systemic health screenings and educating patients on the oral-systemic link.

The summit’s focus on whole-person health extends to the attendees themselves. Between clinical sessions, the event features morning fitness classes, guided mindfulness sessions, and wellness-focused networking breaks. This approach reflects the summit’s overarching philosophy: that healthcare providers must prioritize their own well-being to effectively care for others.

As the healthcare industry continues to move toward value-based care models—where providers are reimbursed based on patient outcomes rather than the volume of services—the integration of oral and medical health will become a necessity rather than an option. The ADHA Integrated Care Summit 2026 stands as a pivotal moment in this transition, providing the education, technology, and collaborative framework needed to redefine the standards of patient care for the next generation.

Registration for the event is currently open at adha.org/ICS26. With the backing of major medical and dental organizations, the summit is expected to draw a capacity crowd to the Omni Interlocken Resort, marking a new chapter in the pursuit of comprehensive, whole-person health.