In response to the first-ever Surgeon General's report on oral health, released on May 25, 2000, ADEA President Rowland A. Hutchinson, D.D.S., M.S., appointed a task force to study the report from the perspective of dental education. The task force was charged with making recommendations to the ADEA Board of Directors as to the Association's message to members and the general public, the Association's role in addressing oral health disparities, the legislative and policy implications of the report, and areas of collaboration between ADEA and others in the dental and health professions. The task force reviewed the report and made five recommendations, including increasing public awareness of the report's messages, promoting collaborative activities with a goal of improving America's oral health, and providing leadership in the drive to promote the incorporation of new science in dental education. The task force also identified numerous ADEA initiatives that address issues related to the Surgeon General's report.