Global Dental Hygiene Leaders Push Back Against Unqualified Care
In a powerful joint statement, ADHA and IFDH call for dental hygiene services to be delivered only by licensed, educated professionals. IFDH President Jill Rethman, RDH, BA, warns that shortcuts to fix workforce shortages could compromise patient safety and the future of the profession.
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) and the International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH) have issued a joint statement demanding that only properly educated and licensed individuals provide dental hygiene care.
“Across the globe, the dental hygiene profession is at a crossroads with numerous challenges regarding our autonomy and credentials,” said Dimensions of Dental Hygiene Editor in Chief and IFDH President Jill Rethman, RDH, BA. “Disguised as ways to alleviate workforce shortages, these efforts are quick fixes that won’t address the root causes … and could endanger the public.” She added, “The IFDH stands with the ADHA opposing any effort to dilute the dental hygiene profession.”
The statement underscores the critical role of licensed dental hygienists in disease prevention and therapeutic care, noting they complete 84–120 credit hours of education before entering practice.
This declaration follows controversial legislation in Arizona that permits dental assistants who do not meet the same educational or licensure standards to perform scaling procedures traditionally reserved for licensed dental hygienists. The move has sparked concern among oral health professionals nationwide, who fear it sets a dangerous precedent that undermines patient safety and devalues the dental hygiene profession.
ADHA and IFDH are urging policymakers to strengthen, not weaken, professional standards in response to workforce challenges. Read the full statement at adha.org/positions and ifdh.org.
