It’s time to educate patients about everything dental hygienists do!

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know about the proposed legislation allowing OPAs (oral preventive assistants), foreign trained dentists, and dental students to practice as dental hygienists. This is to address the alleged shortage of dental hygienists. Although we may not agree if or why a shortage exists, these proposed legislations are not the solution, but rather an attempt to weaken and devalue our profession and lower the standard of care for the public.

With these threats to the dental hygiene profession, it’s critical for us step up and support and defend our profession. We can write and call our legislators, join our professional organization, the American Dental Hygienists Association (please do), and become active and involved like our profession depends on it … because it does!

Debating the necessity of joining ADHA is a topic for another day. Honestly, I’ve gone back and forth with membership for many years, but I’ve never been more sure than I am now that my membership matters and that I can make a difference. ADHA dues support our lobbyists, who are our political voice. Their lobbying efforts and advocacy can make a significant difference in the policies that affect our profession. We don’t have to agree with everything the ADHA says, but if we want to make changes, we need to start somewhere, and there’s strength in numbers.

Why there’s a dental hygienist shortage 

The shortage of dental hygienists is multifaceted, and dentists must take some of the responsibility. According to the 2021 joint study by ADA and ADHA, approximately 3.75% of hygienists left the profession due to the pandemic. Most said they were concerned about safety in the workplace, or they had childcare issues.¹ Although this equates to a significant number of dental hygienists nationwide—7,500—this is not the only reason for the shortage. A prepandemic study done in 2019 found that 43% of dental hygienists were seeking new employment because they didn’t feel valued, respected, or were underpaid.²

Today, baby boomers are retiring. Some hygienists still feel undervalued, experiencing burnout or working in poor conditions. These are some of the reasons we’re currently in demand. However, the lack of retention or the scarcity of dental hygienists is not a viable reason to reduce requirements for licensure or lower the standard of care. Both of these options will jeopardize public safety.

If patients knew, they would care

The powers-that-be in the dental world have not listened to us. They don’t care what dental hygienists think about any of the legislation. Who do they care about? Who can make the biggest difference? Paying patients! However, patients do not know what’s happening in the dental community. Most patients trust when they go in for dental hygiene services that an educated dental hygienist will treat them. Honestly, patients just don’t know and are likely never asked what they do know.

Is your degree posted in your operatory for patients to see? Patients don’t know our educational background or what it took for us to become licensed. Tell them how we spent years practicing to become competent in the services we provide. Stress to them that we dedicated countless hours studying to protect and care for them. Inform them that we are lifelong learners and that we take many, many hours of continuing education.

It’s time to spread awareness to our patients, families, friends, and strangers. Engage in discussions with anyone who will listen. Encourage them to ask their dental care provider about their qualifications. Let them know that dental hygienists go to school for years to be able to provide them with quality standard of care. Inform them that we perform life-saving treatment at best, and teeth-saving treatment at the least.

Tell them so they know that we’re the only health-care professionals who focus on prevention. Educating the public on why our credentials matter can inspire them to demand higher standards of care in their dental practices. Share why they should demand that their dental office provide an educated licensed dental hygienist to treat them. This is their right and if the office does not provide qualified professionals, then they should go to an office that will. Let them know that their health and safety are at risk.

Now is the time for RDHs to unite

This is a call to action for all dental hygienists to unite, take a stand, and advocate for the value and integrity of our profession. It’s time to elevate our voice by joining ADHA. Let’s use our voices to spread this information on social media and share the message across the country.

Making the public aware of the importance of being cared for by qualified dental hygienists can push the issue to the forefront and make it hard for those in power to ignore. Post on your social media that people should question their providers. Do they know who they’re trusting with their smile? I promise, if they knew, they would care.

References

1. Ebert S. Retaining your dental staff through the great resignation. American Dental Association. Accessed April 6, 2025. https://www.ada.org/resources/careers/career-transitions/articles/retaining-your-dental-staff-through-the-great-resignation

2. Morrissey RW, Gurenlian JR, Etrich CG, et al. Employment patterns of dental hygienists in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: an update. J Dent Hyg. 2022;96 (1) 27-33. https://jdh.adha.org/content/96/1/27