The National Oral Health Conference® (NOHC) is “the premier meeting” for those interested in continuing education and networking opportunities within the discipline of Dental Public Health. 2024 will mark the 25th joint meeting of the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) and the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD). This conference offers quality educational sessions with a diverse array of topics presented by the “experts." It attracts attendees from around the world as it offers face-to-face networking and sharing of timely information and experience. 

ASTDD has convened an annual conference since 1947. In 1986, ASTDD named the conference, “The National Oral Health Conference” and ASTDD trademarked the name in 2005. In 2000, ASTDD and AAPHD merged their annual meetings under the name, National Oral Health Conference®. To learn more about each organization, visit the ASTDD and AAPHD websites.

NOHC attendees come from diverse backgrounds. Among others, they include state/territorial dental program staff, dental and public health educators, researchers, Medicaid/CHIP dental program staff, county/city/local dental directors, community health center personnel, student, school-based and school-linked health center personnel, federally employed dental personnel, advocates, coalition members, private practitioners, public health members, dental manufacturers and distributors, and dental insurance company representatives.

ASTDD was founded in 1949. It provides technical assistance and support and develops resources for oral health programs that are located within state and territorial health departments.
 

AAPHD, founded in 1937, accepts the challenge to improve total health for all citizens through the development and support of effective programs of oral health promotion and disease prevention. It is the sponsoring agency of the American Board of Dental Public Health which is the national examining and certifying agency for the specialty of Dental Public Health.