As more states strengthen and modernize their oral health delivery systems via dental therapy, schools now have an important resource to develop high-quality training programs to educate this emerging workforce.
The future looks bright, due to the efforts of clinicians, educators, policy makers, public health advocates, and even journalists. We hope you think so, too.
Doctoral-level education is necessary to prepare dental hygienists to be health care providers who will challenge prevailing thinking, test theories, lead interprofessional teams, and develop policies to improve oral health.
The American Dental Hygienists' Association continues to advocate for appropriate education standards for both dental hygiene and new workforce models.