ADHA Supports Eliminating Patient Procedure-Based Single Encounter Clinical Licensure Examination

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) House of Delegates announced its support for the elimination of the patient procedure-based, single encounter clinical examination for candidates who are graduates of Commission on Dental Accreditation accredited dental hygiene programs and who are eligible to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination.

“The issue of assessment of clinical competency using live patient clinical examinations is of a strategic interest to ADHA and to the dental hygiene profession,” said Michele Braerman, RDH, BSDH, ADHA President. “ADHA is eager to work with our colleagues through a deliberate process that will implement multiple pathways for dental hygiene licensure and best prepare students for licensure in the U.S. or Canadian jurisdiction.”

ADHA has also announced its intent to join the forming “Coalition for Dental Licensure Reform” which will be comprised of multiple groups including, but not limited to, the American Dental Association (ADA), the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), and the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) to work in collaboration to assess the readiness for practice and discuss alternative licensure models.

Through a collaborative process, ADHA will work with colleagues to provide more uniform messaging, prevent unnecessary duplication of efforts and build a stronger strategic partnership in support of non-patient based clinical licensure. This process is outlined in the 2016 report “Update on the ADEA Task Force on Licensure’s Recommendations Toward Elimination of the Human Subject/Patient Component of the Clinical Licensure Exam.”