The Excellence in Leadership Award recognizes a dental student who has made significant contributions in leadership to ASDA and organized dentistry. This award reflects ASDA’s vision of advancing the dental profession by developing exemplary leaders who demonstrate the core values of passion, community, engagement and integrity.

Award Criteria

• Must be nominated by a peer.
• One nomination per chapter is permitted.
• The recipient may be any predoctoral ASDA member, aside from current and past national leaders.

Award Prompts

Nominators will answer the following prompts:

• A brief explanation of why this person deserves recognition for their contributions to their chapter.
• Chapter-level or district-level positions this student holds/has held within ASDA and accomplishments associated with each position.
• Examples of how this student demonstrates ASDA’s core values of passion, community, engagement and integrity.
• Examples of how this student has inspired others within the chapter.

ASDA’s Board of Trustees will review nominations and select one recipient who will receive complimentary registration, airfare and lodging to ASDA’s National Leadership Conference in November 2024.

To submit a nomination, work with your chapter leaders. All nominations are due by August 28, 2024.

Contact advocacydept@ASDAnet.org with any questions.

Congratulations to Adriana Zelaya, North Carolina '25
for receiving ASDA's 2023 Excellence in Leadership Award.

Adriana was presented with her award at ASDA's National Leadership Conference (NLC)
in Chicago in October 2023.