Journal of Dental Hygiene Marks 100 Years of Publication
Centennial issue reflects on the journal’s history and features messages from oral health organizations worldwide
CHICAGO, Feb. 2, 2026 — The Journal of Dental Hygiene has published its centennial issue, marking 100 years as the only peer-reviewed scientific journal devoted to dental hygiene research in the United States.
The February 2026 issue (Volume 100, Number 1) opens with a guest editorial by Editor Emeritus Rebecca S. Wilder, RDH, MS, FADHA, reviewing key moments in the journal’s history. The issue also features congratulatory letters and video messages from partner organizations across the oral health community.
“These messages reflect the types of collaborative relationships that have strengthened the journal, the ADHA and our profession over these 10 decades,” said ADHA President Lancette VanGuilder, BS, RDH, PHEDH, CEAS, FADHA, in a letter published in the issue. “As we enter our second century of dental hygiene scholarship, we remain committed to the partnerships and collaborative spirit these letters represent.”
The journal traces its origins to August 1926, when the ADHA Board voted unanimously at its annual meeting in Philadelphia to publish its own journal rather than affiliate with an existing publication. President-elect Ethel Covington appointed Dorothy Bryant of Augusta, Maine, as the first editor, and Volume 1, Issue 1 was published in January 1927.
Editor in Chief Catherine K. Draper, RDH, MS, FADHA, who has led the journal since 2016, emphasized the journal’s role in advancing dental hygiene scholarship. “Every issue we publish builds on the foundation laid by 17 editors before me,” Draper said. “Our responsibility is to ensure the journal continues to promote the science that will advance the evidence-based care decisions of clinicians while also supporting the next generation of dental hygiene researchers.”
ADHA will mark the centennial throughout 2026 with retrospectives, archival exploration, contests, special guest editors and a focus on highlighting the role of clinical research in dental hygiene. Special announcements will be posted at adha.org/jdh, on ADHA social media channels and in ADHA newsletters.
A subscription to the Journal of Dental Hygiene is included as a benefit of ADHA membership. Members can access the journal at adha.org/jdh. The journal also serves individual and institutional subscribers worldwide, including Japan, Australia, Europe, Canada and South Africa, as well as dental hygiene programs across the United States. Centennial-related content is available as open access at jdh.adha.org.
About the American Dental Hygienists’ Association
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is the largest organization representing the professional interests of over 220,000 dental hygienists in the United States. Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals, licensed in dental hygiene, who provide educational, clinical and therapeutic services that support overall health through the promotion of optimal oral health. The Journal of Dental Hygiene (JDH), published bimonthly, is ADHA’s scientific journal and flagship publication. To learn more about the ADHA, dental hygiene or the link between oral health and general health, visit adha.org.
