Tearing Down Boundaries
Have you wondered what it would be like to work outside a dental operatory and integrate your skills and knowledge with those in the larger healthcare community? I see several groups on social media for dental hygienists who have taken that step. Why haven’t more colleagues done so? When we consider what we have to offer the medical community as experts in oral disease prevention, it seems to be a perfect transition for us into the medical community.
Our medical colleagues are increasingly realizing the connection between oral health and overall health, so this makes our expertise extremely valuable. And when we understand that most physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and other medical personnel don’t have the time or desire to learn about oral healthcare, it’s easy to see how dental hygienists can be key members of their team. Let’s never forget — dental hygiene is the only oral healthcare profession that was founded on preventing disease.
According to the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), 40 states have empowered dental hygienists to work beyond the confines of a dental office in settings such as hospitals, medical offices, health clinics, and nursing homes.1 Medical/dental hygiene integration can provide not only career satisfaction for professionals, but better access to care for patients. In fact, during a recent ADHA podcast, Katherine Martinez, RDH, BS, MPH, discusses how her work in a pediatric hospital makes a positive difference in the lives of those patients.2
It’s natural that stepping away from the norm of dental office-based practice could be intimidating, but there is educational support available. The National Network of Healthcare Hygienists (NNHH) was founded in 2018 with the goal of including and recognizing dental hygienists as important providers of interdisciplinary care. The organization states on its website: “Registered dental hygienists are essential members of collaborative care, ensuring comprehensive, patient-centered health solutions.”3
NNHH founder, Jamie Dooley, BIS, RDH, shares, “I founded NNHH to give hygienists a middle option between regular continuing education and a degree. We found that confidence was the number one barrier to hygienists owning their expertise in oral/systemic health. Going back to school is expensive and time consuming, so we wanted to offer a recognized credential that would boost their confidence while allowing them to apply what they learn immediately in their current role. For our profession to rise to new heights, we must choose collaboration over competition.”
The landscape of the dental hygiene profession is changing quickly. Can we adapt? YES! Let’s look outside the four walls of the dental operatory to do so.
References
- American Dental Hygienists’ Association. Dental Hygiene in Medical Clinics and Health Settings. Available at adha.org/wp-content/uploads/떘/葓/Dental-Hygiene-in-Medical-Settings_葓-2024.pdf. Accessed March 31, 2025.
- American Dental Hygienists’ Association. Hospital-Based Pediatric Dental Hygiene Care: A Necessity. (Episode 155). Available at wavve.link/d9oq8WY71/episodes. Accessed March 31, 2025.
- National Network of Healthcare Hygienists. Available at healthcarehygienists.org. Accessed March 31,2025.
From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. May/June 2025; 23(3):9.
