From Silos to Synergy
We frequently hear the phrase “practicing in silos.” It’s a perfect description of how the daily focus of dental hygiene care can make practitioners feel isolated. For many, there’s a sense of being separated from colleagues and working in seclusion. Unless we regularly seek out other dental hygiene professionals, our world might be detached from them. Do they face the same challenges? Are they asking the same questions? Have they achieved any successes?
Recently, our world came closer together with the development of two very important Advocacy Advisory Committees (AAC): one from the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) and the other from the International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH). It’s no coincidence that both committees share the same name: AAC. Isn’t it interesting that at this same point in time, both organizations realized the urgency to purposely advocate for the profession of dental hygiene?
The ADHA’s AAC is designed to streamline and sharpen the organization’s legislative influence. Its creation coincides with a massive shift in how the ADHA operates, following the association’s 2025 transition away from its century-old “House of Delegates” to a more agile, modernized governance model. The AAC acts as the strategic engine room for the ADHA’s advocacy efforts. Its main goals are to:
- Strengthen state and federal influence: Support legislative efforts at both the national level, such as federal loan access for students, and the state level (eg, license portability and practice acts).
- Support professional autonomy: Aligning with the 2026–2028 ADHA Strategic Plan, the committee focuses on advancing dental hygiene as an autonomous, prevention-driven profession.
- Rapid response: Under the new governance structure, the AAC helps the Board of Directors respond quickly to emerging threats, such as policies that propose alternative (and often less rigorous) pathways to licensure.
The IFDH’s AAC is a strategic body whose primary mission is to unify and strengthen the global voice of dental hygiene by monitoring and influencing international health policy. The IFDH committee operates on a global scale, focusing on the profession’s integration into universal healthcare systems. The IFDH AAC acts as the “eyes and ears” for the organization, specifically focusing on:
- Policy monitoring: Keeping watch on global health trends, particularly directives from the World Health Organization regarding noncommunicable diseases and the Global Oral Health Action Plan.
- Professional advancement: Advocating for the recognition of dental hygienists, dental therapists, and oral health therapists as essential primary care providers.
- Strategic guidance: Advising the IFDH Board on how to react to global health crises or opportunities, such as the United Nation’s recent declarations regarding oral health’s role in general well-being.
- Support for member nations: Helping smaller national associations develop their own advocacy toolkits to lobby their respective governments for expanded scopes of practice.
There is no such thing as coincidence. These two committees are synergistic, strategic, and significant. Perfect timing.
For more information visit adha.org/advocacy/federal-efforts and ifdh.org/about-ifdh/committees.
From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. May/June 2026; 24(3):9
