A Look Back on HOSA: Future Health Professionals' State Leadership Conference 2026

Georgia Dental Association’s team joined over 5,500 students, and other sponsors, at HOSA-Future Health Professionals State Leadership Conference 2026. The event provided multiple opportunities to encourage current high school students to explore a career in dentistry. The conference, held over the course of 3 days in March, provides competitive events, workshops, and awards and recognition for students aiming for future employment in the healthcare sector.

The Booth

The anchor of GDA’s HOSA experience is always our booth, helmed by GDA’s own Shelby Naidoo and Stephanie DeLaHunt. This year’s booth was located right in the atrium not far from the skywalks to the Hub at Peachtree Center. Plenty of GDA swag was available for students to grab, and those who answered dental trivia questions correctly had the chance to win some fun prizes. But the real draw was the opportunity for students to interact with actual dentists. Upon finding out that several dentists would be there throughout the day, several students took the time to stop by multiple times to introduce themselves and talk about their career aims.

Dr. Henry Benson and Dr. Priti Bloor joined the team to help answer students' most pressing questions about pursuing a dental career. The students asked a broad array of questions, ranging from, “how long does it take to become a dentist?” to, “Can youhelp me improve my chances of getting in to dental school?” Others wanted to learn more about dental hygiene and assisting, and some were learning about these career options for the first time. They also took the opportunity to share personal experiences, and some offered observations about contrasts they see between parents and family members working in different dental settings. All in all, it was an excellent chance to get to know the next generation of Georgia dental professionals.

“In my experience, the students were in a variety of mindsets and exploratory modes at HOSA. I would certainly like to volunteer again.”

Dr. Priti Bloor

“I think it's great that there is an organization out there such as HOSA to help get these bright minds already thinking about their careers. There really wasn't such a thing when I was growing up. I had to figure it out on my own.”

Dr. Henry Benson

Why did you want to be a dentist?

One major question repeated by many of the students was, “why did you want to be a dentist?”  The question emphasized the mood of many of the events’ attendees. While some were absolutely certain that they knew their future career path, others were all about discovery. Georgia Dental Association’s attendees all had the opportunity to share their stories with students, offering a broad perspective on possible career tracks and emphasizing that dentistry is very much a team sport. The common thread running through every story was a recognition that dental care is an essential healthcare need, and all of the storytellers knew they wanted to be a part of delivering care to meet it.

The Workshop

While the team was hard at work upstairs, Jon Hoin, GDA’s Senior Health Policy Manager, was offering a workshop titled “Healthcare Workforce Policy, Advocacy, and Your Future.” The workshop explored the shape and distribution of Georgia’s healthcare workforce as well as the policy decisions that could affect attendees in the future. The presentation provided an opportunity to highlight policy initiatives in Georgia such as rural student loan repayment, tax credits, and innovative educational models that have been adopted by the state. Students were given the opportunity to puzzle out some of the reasons for persistent distribution challenges and then to consider options for addressing them. Each session ended with a reminder that many resources, including GDA’s own Career Compass, are available to help students along their path to becoming healthcare professionals.

The future is now

Participating in HOSA is a good reminder that many, perhaps even most, of Georgia’s future dental workforce is already on the move. GDA has already begun working to support tomorrow’s dental healthcare workforce. To join the effort, get involved in policy advocacy through our Contact Dentist Network, LAW Day, and supporting GDAPAC. To volunteer for student outreach contact Shelby Naidoo. Your support makes all the difference.