A collection of evidence-based guidelines to help you optimize your dental hygiene education practice.
CODA Accreditation Standards for Dental Hygiene Education Programs
ADHA supports accreditation standards that prepare entry level dental hygienists to assume all the professional roles of a dental hygienist in a variety of settings to address the oral and overall health care needs of the public. In addition, ADHA actively monitors proposed changes or additions to the dental hygiene accreditation standards, and makes strategic recommendations based on member feedback with the best interests of the dental hygiene community in mind.
Dental Hygiene Program Survey
This report presents findings from a 2024 survey of 157 dental hygiene programs across the U.S. conducted by Michigan Health Council’s MHC Insight. The study examines barriers to increasing class sizes and diversifying student recruitment in dental hygiene, a field that is 95% female and 77% white. The report offers practical recommendations for programs seeking to expand capacity through innovative approaches like online learning, flexible scheduling, and improved faculty recruitment strategies.
CODA Accreditation Standards for Dental Therapy Education Programs
In August 2015, the Commission on Dental Accreditation implemented national Accreditation Standards for Dental Therapy Education Programs, establishing a framework for policymakers nationwide. ADHA worked with state associations to ensure these standards include a dental hygiene track and advanced standing for dental hygienists pursuing dental therapy. While recognizing this career path may not suit all dental hygienists, ADHA remains committed to supporting dental hygienists in exploring various career pathways.
View the latest here
National Board Dental Hygiene Examination Resource
The Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations releases an annual guide for dental hygiene students taking the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). It provides essential information on application procedures, examination content, scoring, and testing protocols that students must review before applying for the exam.
View the latest here
Core Competencies for Graduate Dental Hygiene Education
Graduate education in dental hygiene is essential for developing professionals who will lead the profession and assume leadership roles in health care and education. This collaborative resource from ADHA and the American Dental Education Association defines the professional knowledge base and establishes an educational foundation for all graduate dental hygiene programs, preparing scholars to generate and disseminate knowledge within the field.
Competencies for Graduate Education
ADHA White Paper: Dental Hygiene Diagnosis
ADHA maintains that dental hygiene diagnosis is essential to dental hygiene education and practice. This white paper clarifies the distinction between dental and dental hygiene diagnosis, provides implementation models, and outlines recommendations for educators and policymakers. This ADHA resource guides practicing dental hygienists in implementing diagnoses and educators in teaching this vital skill to students.
Dental Hygiene Diagnosis Paper
ADHA White Paper: Transforming Dental Hygiene Education and the Profession for the 21st Century
Graduate education in dental hygiene is imperative for developing dental hygiene professionals who will lead the profession and assume leadership roles in health care and education, as well as developing scholars to participate in the generation and dissemination of knowledge. Created by ADHA and the American Dental Education Association, the Core Competencies for Graduate Dental Hygiene Education resource defines the body of professional knowledge, and establishes an educational foundation for all graduate level dental hygiene programs.
Transforming Dental Hygiene Education and the Profession for the 21st Century
Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice
Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice promote the knowledge, values, practices, and behaviors that support and enhance oral health with the ultimate goal of improving overall health. The primary purpose of the standards is to assist dental hygiene clinicians in the provider-patient relationship. In addition, dental hygienists in other professional roles such as educator, researcher, entrepreneur, public health professional, and administrator can use the standards to facilitate the implementation of collaborative, patient-centered care in interprofessional teams of health professionals. Current edition is from 2025.
STANDARDS FOR CLINICAL DENTAL HYGIENE PRACTICE
National Dental Hygiene Research Agenda
ADHA acknowledges the importance of a body of research unique to dental hygiene in defining it as a profession and developing it into a discipline. The aim of the National Dental Hygiene Research Agenda (NDHRA) is to provide a framework to guide those members of the profession who desire to add to the body of knowledge that defines the dental hygiene profession. In recognition of its importance to the dental hygiene profession, ADHA is committed to regularly updating the NDHRA as the dental hygiene body of knowledge continues to grow.
National Dental Hygiene Research Agenda
Dental Workforce Shortages Research: Data to Navigate Today’s Labor Market
The ADA Health Policy Institute partnered with the ADHA, ADAA, DANB, and IgniteDA to research factors affecting workplace satisfaction and retention in dental practices. Based on data from thousands of dental professionals collected in 2022, this report identifies key strategies to improve workforce satisfaction and address current staffing shortages in the dental sector.
Dental Workforce Shortages Research