New reporting from the San Francisco Standard reveals a worsening dental hygienist shortage in California that is reshaping both clinical practice and the economics of dentistry. Dentists are increasingly relying on associate dentists or…

A new California pilot program would allow dental assistants to administer local anesthesia, a move many dentists welcome for workflow efficiency and cost savings. But dental hygienists warn that expanding anesthesia privileges to…

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Florida lawmakers are considering a bill to create a dental therapist role to provide preventive and routine restorative care. Supporters see it as a solution to widespread dental shortages, while opponents caution that irreversible…

From classrooms to mobile clinics, public health dental hygienists are reshaping how preventive care reaches underserved communities. While these strategies show promise for improving outcomes, some dentists remain opposed to expanding…

New research suggests that a mother’s vitamin D levels during pregnancy may play a meaningful role in her child’s risk for early childhood caries. Higher vitamin D status, especially later in pregnancy, was linked to fewer carious lesions,…

Just when oral health professionals thought the operatory was a safe space, a dental chair has turned up in one of the most disturbing places imaginable. Newly released images place familiar clinical equipment in a setting that’s anything…

Kentucky’s proposal to create an oral preventive assistant role, allowing dental assistants to perform procedures traditionally reserved for dental hygienists, has ignited strong opposition among dental hygienists who say the plan…

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Advanced aeroacoustic engineering may soon deliver dental drills that are not only quieter, but redesigned to ease patient anxiety without compromising performance.