Advocacy
ADHA promotes policies that advance the dental hygiene profession and expand access to oral healthcare by educating policymakers and the public about the vital role of dental hygienists. Through tools like VoterVoice, advocacy days, policy outreach, and coalition engagement, ADHA empowers hygienists and state associations to confidently protect and advance the profession.
How Advocacy Works
ADVOCACY ISSUE:
Dental Workforce Shortage
The dental workforce shortage is driven by retention issues, workplace culture, compensation, professional fulfillment, and pandemic-related departures—not gaps in education or licensure standards. The association supports strengthening the workforce through recruitment into CODA-accredited programs, expanded capacity, for better workplace conditions, and full scope-of-practice utilization, while opposing alternative licensure pathways that compromise professional standards and public safety.
ADVOCACY ISSUE:
Insurance Reimbursement
ADHA supports policies that recognize and reimburse dental hygienists as providers across Medicaid and private insurance when delivering services within their legal scope of practice. The association advocates for state and federal reforms to align reimbursement with scope-of-practice laws, expand direct billing, and improve access to preventive oral healthcare—especially in underserved communities.
Advocacy Objectives
Federal Efforts:
- Support for community water fluoridation
- Investments to strengthen the oral healthcare workforce
- Federal recognition of dental hygienists as providers with CMS clarification supporting direct reimbursement for preventive services
- Public health initiatives that prioritize prevention-based care delivery
State Efforts:
- Opposing substandard care models and efforts to remove community water fluoridation
- Promoting policies that allow hygienists to practice at the top of their scope, improve care access, and practice autonomously in diverse settings
- Supporting the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact
