Dental Hygienists Rally to Protect Education Standards and Patient Safety
Join the Oral Health Awareness Project on October 25 in Washington, DC, to show policymakers that oral health matters and dental hygienists’ voices must be heard.
Dental hygienists across the nation are mobilizing for Oral Health Awareness Project (OHAP) Demonstration Day on Saturday, October 25, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. This peaceful rally will call attention to alarming proposals that would deregulate the profession and dismantle the education standards that safeguard patient care.
By replacing hygienists who complete Commission on Dental Accreditation-supported programs with individuals without the same quality of education, these policies put patients at risk, devalue the profession, and weaken the standard of care in every community. Hygienists are essential healthcare providers whose work extends far beyond the oral cavity — preventing disease, protecting systemic health, and saving lives.
The OHAP is dedicated to safeguarding community oral health by increasing public awareness about the essential role of licensed dental hygienists and advocating for policies that prevent substandard, nonaccredited dental care practices.
The rally hopes to send a powerful message: Raise standards, don’t erase them. Rally signs will be provided, and a united front of dental hygienists will ensure legislators, the media, and the public see the critical role hygienists play in protecting community health. Click here to read more.
