ADHA Issues Position Statements on Dental Hygiene Education and Addressing Workforce Shortages
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association reiterates opposition of policies that offer non-hygienists alternative licensure pathways, and supports collaboration on appropriate measures to retain and grow workforce.
CHICAGO, December 3, 2024 – The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA®), has issued two statements on issues recently addressed in letters from leadership to the oral healthcare community.
The first statement clarifies the organization’s position opposing any policies that support non-hygienists with an alternative pathway to dental hygiene licensure and any increase in faculty-student ratios in dental hygiene programs. The statement concludes, “The ADHA firmly believes that any individual seeking to practice dental hygiene in the U.S. must complete a CODA-accredited dental hygiene education program, and meet the clinical training, examination and practice requirements necessary to earn a dental hygiene license, without exception.”
The second statement recognizes the existing dental hygiene workforce shortage, reiterating the need to consider the data that identifies underlying reasons, and the organization’s support of collaborating with other dental professional organizations on constructive measures and appropriate strategies that combat attrition and attract new students.
The full position statements can be found at adha.org/positions.
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About ADHA
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association is the largest organization representing the professional interests of the more than 220,000 dental hygienists in the United States. Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals, licensed in dental hygiene, who provide educational, clinical and therapeutic services that support total health through the promotion of optimal oral health. The Journal of Dental Hygiene is the association’s bi-monthly scientific journal and flagship publication. To learn more about ADHA, dental hygiene or the link between oral health and general health, visit adha.org
Contact
Bronwyn Barrera
(312) 440-8913
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