A statewide network of allied dental educators

Our Mission & Vision

Our Mission: To promote excellence in allied dental education through faculty development, curriculum innovation, regulatory alignment, and collaborative networking across the state of Florida. Our Vision: A connected and innovative community of dental educators setting the national standard for allied oral healthcare training, student outcomes, and clinical leadership.

Florida Allied Dental Educators Inc (FADE) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Directed by Principal Officer Melissa Miller, FADE serves as the premier unifying network for dental hygiene educators, dental assisting instructors, and clinical program directors across Florida's public and private higher education ecosystem, fostering academic collaboration and supporting Florida Board of Dentistry accreditation standards.

Our History

Founded to address the evolving clinical and educational needs of Florida's allied dental training programs, FADE was established as an independent non-profit entity to bridge communication between academic institutions, state regulatory bodies, and clinical practice environments. Over its operational history, the association has served as a critical platform for calibrating clinical instructors, updating expanded-duty dental assistant training standards, and aligning dental hygiene curricula with modern technological and pharmacological advances. By creating a collective forum for educators from Pensacola to Miami, FADE has helped elevate the standard of instruction across community colleges, technical colleges, and university departments statewide.

Core Values

Educational Excellence — commitment to rigorous, evidence-based instructional design and clinical calibration. Integrity & Ethics — upholding high ethical standards in academic administration, clinical supervision, and student evaluation. Collaborative Leadership — fostering open exchange of curriculum resources, pedagogical research, and institutional best practices. Student-Centered Advocacy — supporting instructional strategies that maximize board pass rates, career entry, and lifelong professional growth.