ADHA Remains Committed to Advancing Dental Hygiene Education Standards Despite CODA Opposition
As part of its ongoing commitment to improve dental hygiene accreditation standards, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) will continue advocating for the inclusion of dental hygiene diagnosis into the Accreditation Standards for Dental Hygiene Education Programs.
CHICAGO, IL (August, 15, 2018) – As part of its ongoing commitment to improve dental hygiene accreditation standards, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) will continue advocating for the inclusion of dental hygiene diagnosis into the Accreditation Standards for Dental Hygiene Education Programs, despite opposition by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). ADHA recently led a multi-year effort for proposed revisions to reincorporate dental hygiene diagnosis into these national education standards.
“Dental hygiene treatment plan” and “dental hygiene diagnosis” had been a part of the CODA Accreditation Standards for Dental Hygiene Education Programs since 1998; however, CODA removed them in 2010. Based on ADHA policies, data from the Dental Hygiene Program Directors Survey and the Standards for Clinical Dental Practice, ADHA submitted proposed revisions to CODA in June 2017.
While CODA opposed these proposed changes, this does not change the responsibilities of a dental hygienist nor the curriculum taught by dental hygiene educators that teaches students the dental hygiene process of care which includes dental hygiene diagnosis. ADHA will continue their national advocacy efforts and press for these advances in dental hygiene education standards, further engaging the dental hygiene community and dental hygiene educators about sharing their experience and expertise as we return to CODA again with proposed revisions.
For more information on ADHA’s efforts with CODA, please visit: https://www.adha.org/changesto-accreditation-standards-for-dental-hygiene-education-programs
