October 11, 2024
Dear Colleagues and Members of the Healthcare Community,
Recently proposed resolutions by the American Dental Association (ADA) aim to remove faculty-to-student ratios in dental hygiene programs and allow dental students and foreign trained dentists to practice dental hygiene in the United States, without passing a state licensing exam.
As the leading voice for dental hygienists in the U.S., the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA®) is submitting written testimony in strong opposition of these resolutions. We believe they pose significant risks to educational standards and patient safety, and we urge the ADA House of Delegates to reject these proposals.
The resolutions are outlined below, followed by the points the ADHA has prepared for consideration by the ADA House of Delegates reference committees.
Resolution 401, “Increasing Allied Personnel in the Workforce”, aims to align faculty-student ratios in dental hygiene programs with those of predoctoral dental education programs and raises the following concerns:
Dental hygiene education, including clinical instruction, is distinct from dental student education. Requiring different structures, oversight and expertise. Dental hygiene educators are best positioned to determine the appropriate instruction and supervision levels necessary for effective clinical training of dental hygiene students and to uphold the educational standards of our profession.
Resolution 513, “Resolution Dental Students and Residents as Dental Hygienists”, proposes to allow dental students and residents to practice as dental hygienists after completing their dental competencies. This resolution raises the following concerns:
Resolution 514/514B, “Internationally Trained Dentists as Dental Hygienists” seeks to integrate internationally trained dentists into the dental hygiene workforce. This resolution raises the following concerns:
We urge the ADA House of Delegates to reject these resolutions and focus on solutions that respect the distinct professional roles within dentistry and dental hygiene. The integrity of dental hygiene as a profession, and the quality of care provided to patients, depends on maintaining stringent educational and licensure standards.
Sincerely,
ADHA President 2024-2025
ADHA President-Elect 2024-2025
ADHA Vice President 2024-2025
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