About HDA

MISSION STATEMENT

“As the leading voice for Hispanic Oral Health, we provide service, education-research, advocacy, and leadership for all healthcare professionals, to promote overall health of the Hispanic/Latinx and underrepresented communities.”

  

VISION STATEMENT

“Empower healthcare professionals to increase oral health equity and improve health care quality in the Hispanic/Latinx, and underrepresented populations.”

Founded in 1990, the history of HDA is one of inclusive nature driven by our mission. Incorporated in Texas with a national scope, the HDA’s founding members shared a common commitment to improve the oral health of the Hispanic community.

HDA Past Presidents Timeline

The Hispanic Population has been part of the United States, North America, prior to its Independence from England.  When Juan Ponce de León arrived in 1513 in Florida, 250 years prior to the United States of America’s independence of England in 1776, Spanish culture was growing in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, on the west coast from California and all the way to Alaska.¹

Today our vibrant established community of almost 70 million drives the growth and economy of our nation.^2,3 In of itself, the Hispanic Community of the United States represents, the world’s fifth largest economy, ahead of nations like the U.K., India, and France at $2.8 Trillion as of 2020.^4,5 Despite the growth, much is needed to help the professional training of our community to serve its needs and our nation. In oral health, Hispanic Dentists represent roughly 5% of oral health providers in America despite representing almost 20% of the overall population.^6,7

The Hispanic Dental Association is in a unique position to play a major role during this time of change and growth that both meet the needs and improves the oral health of Hispanics by accomplishing our mission.  This increased growth pattern creates two crucial factors:

1. There is an increased need to improve the overall health of the Hispanic population.
2. Hispanics have a growing economic impact both as consumers and providers of Oral Healthcare services as well as participants in higher learning institutions. The community context in which HDA operates is one in which it needs service-oriented individuals to provide culturally competent oral health and expanded access to services. Below is a scope of the many HDA programs, benefits and activities that are serving practitioners and patients in the nation.

Objectives

• Unify all Hispanic Oral Health professional under one Organization in order to have one voice to better serve our people and the USA
• Provide a united voice for the Hispanic oral professional in the United States.
• Promote the oral health of the Hispanic community through improved prevention, treatment and education.
• Foster research and knowledge concerning Hispanic oral health problems and its solutions.
• Disseminate information to both Hispanic dental professionals and the community at large.
• Provide a worldwide source of continuing education for oral health professionals serving the Hispanic community.
• Stimulate interest and open the pipeline for Hispanics into oral health careers.