The annual meeting of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES) is quickly approaching. From August 7 through August 10, in Columbus, Ohio, ADCES26 is four days filled with networking and continuing education opportunities, educational sessions featuring real-world strategies, and research presentations on cutting-edge innovation for diabetes care and education specialists from around the world.
Today, we are spotlighting some of the many conference sessions that clinicians will likely not want to miss. All dates and times are accurate as of July 7, 2026. Some descriptions were edited for clarity and brevity. To look over the complete program, view the full ADCES26 program for the most up-to-date information.
Notable Sessions at ADCES26
Friday, August 7
- From Menarche to Menopause: A Lifespan Approach to the Cardiometabolic Continuum
- 10:20 AM – 11:05 AM
- Description: This presentation will apply an interdisciplinary lens for proactively identifying, preventing, and managing emerging cardiometabolic risk across the female lifespan.
- Weekly Basal Insulins: New Tools for Diabetes Management
- 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM
- Description: There are two weekly insulins that have been developed but are awaiting FDA approval for use in the U.S. [Attendees] will review the icodec and efsitora molecules, how they achieve ultra-long pharmacokinetics differently, and review their published Phase 3 data.
- Updates on Diabetes in Pregnancy: Evidence-Based, Patient-Centered, Team-Informed Care
- 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM
- Description: This session will review updates in pregnancy for type 1 and 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes management highlighting evidence-based, patient-centered, and team-informed care.
- Hit Me with Your Best Shot! Exploring Tips and Tricks for Proper Injection Technique
- 12:30 PM – 12:55 PM
- Description: This engaging presentation will provide answers to common questions as well as practical strategies to improve patient outcomes, prevent injection site complications, and elevate your clinical impact in diabetes care.
- Fueling the Lifespan: Nutrition Strategies for Optimal Outcomes with T1D
- 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
- Description: This session will review the nutrition strategies and guidelines for evaluating challenges in glycemic variability and outcomes during each phase in life, including growth in childhood, puberty during adolescence, co-morbidity prevention in adulthood, and increased coexisting illnesses with possible functional disability in later adulthood.
- From A1C to FIB-4: Practical Guidance on MASLD and MASH for the DCES
- 2:55 PM – 3:40 PM
- Description: This session will provide diabetes care and education specialists with a practical framework to identify MASLD and MASH using readily available clinical data, understand appropriate risk stratification strategies, and apply evidence-based lifestyle and pharmacologic interventions. Emphasis will be placed on integrating liver health into diabetes workflows, clarifying the role of emerging therapies, and supporting interdisciplinary care to improve cardiometabolic outcomes.
- Managing Diabesity Through an Interdisciplinary Approach
- 4:45 PM – 5:30 PM
- Description: This presentation will highlight an interdisciplinary approach to managing patients with diabetes and obesity.
Saturday, August 8
- Diabetes Device-Related Skin Reactions in Skin of Color
- 9:45 AM – 10:00 AM
- Description: Diabetes technology is well-documented to improve health outcomes for people with diabetes. However, adoption is hindered by skin reactions to diabetes devices. Prior studies report a high prevalence of these skin reactions but do not stratify findings by skin type or color, and often only include white/Caucasian patients.
- Doubling Down: SGLT2 Meets Aldosterone in Cardio-Kidney Care
- 9:45 AM – 10:30 AM
- Description: This session dives into the latest evidence, controversies, and strategies for combination therapy through the lens of precision medicine--delivering the right therapy at the right time for the right person. Looking ahead, the speakers will spotlight emerging agents like aldosterone synthase inhibitors and their potential to further enhance outcomes.
- International Consensus Recommendations for Leveraging CGM and AID During Pregnancy
- 10:40 AM – 11:25 AM
- Description: This session will provide critical updates from the new international expert consensus for the use of AID and CGM in pregnant individuals with T1D, T2D, or GDM published in 2026, including varying CGM targets for each type of diabetes and how to support people with diabetes in selecting, initiating, or adapting AID systems to best fit pregnancy needs.
- Strengthening Cardiometabolic-Kidney Care: Real-World Application of Guidelines for DCES Practice
- 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
- Description: This session highlights key guideline updates, evidence-based interventions, and practical approaches to optimizing outcomes for people with T2D, kidney disease, cardiovascular risk, and metabolic challenges.
- Diabetes and Exercise: New Insights and Prospectives
- 1:55 PM – 2:40 PM
- Description: The exercise field is moving away from traditional high‑volume, moderate‑intensity, cardio‑focused programs and toward approaches that reflect therapeutic advances and individual biopsychosocial needs. This program examines how to design truly individualized exercise plans for diverse populations.
- Navigating the Invisible Burden: A Clinical Guide to Diabetes Distress
- 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- Description: This presentation equips DCESs to recognize the profound impact of DD on individuals living with diabetes. By examining internal psychological drivers, external social pressures—including the modern influence of social media and digital connectivity—and clinical stressors, attendees will learn to differentiate DD from clinical depression and ADHD.
High Risk, High Reward: Evaluating GLP1-RA and SGLT2i Therapies, Where the Evidence Is Emerging
4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Description: This presentation will review GLP1-RA, GIP/GLP1-RA and SGLT2i classes of medications, with a focus on selection and use in high-risk patient populations.
Sunday, August 9
Optimizing MASLD Treatment: The Power of Medications Plus Lifestyle Strategies
9:50 AM – 10:35 AM
Description: Using real life patient examples, this session equips DCESs with practical, evidence-based strategies to support early identification and treatment of MASLD through lifestyle interventions and select diabetes and weight-management medications. Emphasis will be placed on patient-centered, interdisciplinary care to improve liver and metabolic outcomes.
Preventing Diabetes-Related Foot Ulcers and Recurrence
9:50 AM – 10:35 AM
Description: This session provides a focused overview of diabetes-related foot ulcer (DFU) pathophysiology, ADA-recommended screening, management, follow-up, and the four pillars of DFU treatment.
Applying Educational Science Under Real-World Constraints in Diabetes Care & Education
10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
Description: This session addresses the gap between educational knowledge and real-world delivery of diabetes care and education. Using an educational science lens, participants will explore how cognitive load, emotional factors, and contextual constraints influence learning and engagement.
Integrating the ADA Standards of Care in Obesity Into Diabetes Education and Care
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
Description: This session reviews the ADA Standards of Care in Obesity, emphasizing evidence-based, person-centered management across the continuum of care. Participants will examine core principles of obesity assessment and diagnosis, lifestyle interventions as the foundation of treatment, and the appropriate use of pharmacologic and surgical therapies.
When Blood Pressure Won’t Budge: Managing Resistant Hypertension in People with Diabetes
2:50 PM – 3:35 PM
Description: This session prepares DCESs to identify, classify, and manage complex hypertension in people with diabetes using new recommendations from the 2025 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association’s Hypertension Guideline. Attendees will learn a practical approach to differentiating resistant from secondary hypertension, including appropriate indications for screening for secondary causes.
Use of GLP-1RA in People with T1D: Evidence and Practical Considerations
3:45 PM – 4:30 PM
Description: In this session, we will review recent evidence on the potential use of GLP-1RA therapy for glycemic and metabolic health improvement in people with T1D.
Monday, August 10
Navigating Post-transplantation Diabetes: Integrating Management and Care Models
8:00 AM – 8:45 AM
Description: Post-transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a significant complication following solid organ transplantation, influencing long-term health and outcomes. This session provides a practical, evidence-based framework for identifying and managing PTDM, grounded in the latest international consensus.
Bean There, Done That: Optimizing Kidney Health in People with Diabetes
8:55 AM – 9:40 AM
Description: This session explores evidence-based strategies to prevent CKD and slow its progression, emphasizing the role of interprofessional collaboration. Attendees will be able to describe current recommendations for screening, diagnosis, and staging of CKD in people living with diabetes, discuss the latest evidence for kidney-protective agents, and apply recommendations from professional guidelines in the development of therapy plans to prevent the progression of CKD in people living with diabetes, incorporating lifestyle modifications and pharmacotherapy.
Addressing Diabetes Risk During Pregnancy and Postpartum Care
8:55 AM – 9:40 AM
Description: This session highlights how a DCES implemented a structured, group-based gestational diabetes education program as an insurance add-on benefit to improve access, continuity of care, and sustainability at scale.
Oh Just Go To Sleep! How Sleep Hygiene Can Affect Weight and Diabetes Management
10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
Description: Sleep deprivation can affect hormones that trigger late-night snacking habits, impact the brain's reward center, and lead to impulsive eating. This session will help attendees understand how sleep and weight management correlate and how to help improve sleep hygiene.
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