The United States Coast Guard has partnered with the University of Minnesota to integrate dental therapists into its healthcare delivery model. The 5-year initiative aims to address provider shortages, strengthen operational readiness, and…

Dental hygienist wages climbed again in 2025, with national averages nearing $49 per hour and top markets pushing well above $65.

As evidence links oral health with mental illness and substance use disorders, oral health professionals are uniquely positioned to screen for these serious health issues.

California’s AB 1952 would allow internationally trained dentists to become licensed dental hygienists without completing a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program. While supporters cite workforce shortages, dental hygienists argue the…

The Indian Health Service will phase out mercury-containing dental amalgam fillings by 2027, accelerating a shift already underway across dentistry. The move aligns federal tribal health care with global mercury reduction efforts while…

A National Children’s Dental Health Month call to strengthen access to care for underserved children.

Congratulations to the December winner of the Sunstar eBrief Giveaway, Shanin Peck, RDH, MA, ECPII. A professor and senior clinical coordinator at Wichita State University (WSU) in Kansas, she is a proud first-generation college graduate…

1.3 million Americans went to Mexico for care. Here’s why oral health professionals should be paying attention.

Congratulations to the November winner of the Sunstar eBrief, Kim Kolassa, RDH, BS. A dental hygienist for more than 30 years, Kim worked in private practice for 18 years, where she honed her clinical and patient communication skills.…

As private equity and insurer-backed DSOs expand their reach, a new model bill offers states a roadmap to curb corporate control of dental practices. The Independent Dental Practice Act aims to protect clinical autonomy, stabilize…