This year has tested and defined our profession in profound ways. Across the nation, dental hygienists have seen and heard of proposals to permit untrained dental assistants to scale teeth—an alarming prospect that undermines patient safety, professional standards, and the very foundation of preventive oral care. For many, this has felt like an attack on our hard-earned education and licensure. For me, it has also served as a wake-up call to rise, unite, and re-establish who we are and what we stand for as registered dental hygienists.
Rather than viewing these challenges as setbacks, I’ve come to see them as catalysts. They’ve reminded us that autonomy isn’t a privilege or luxury, it’s a responsibility, a duty. It’s the call to practice comprehensive care at the top of our scope, to see the whole body connected, and to advocate for public health through the lens of prevention. This moment is pushing us to do more than simply defend our licenses; it’s motivating us to demonstrate our full value, not only within dental offices but in the broader healthcare conversation and in the eyes of the public we care for.
Reclaiming our purpse and our power
I’ve witnessed this shift firsthand. As an ergonomics educator and career longevity coach for dental professionals, I’ve helped more clinicians this year than ever before reclaim their health, reduce pain, and reignite their purpose behind the chair. We have found the gift of desperation to care for ourselves so that we are better able to care for others, and that truth has never felt more relevant.
Clinically, I’ve also noticed a new kind of awareness among my patients. More people are asking about the oral-systemic connection—how what’s happening in their mouths relates to heart health, diabetes, and inflammation. They are listening, learning, and taking prevention more seriously. This evolution in patient engagement reminds me why I became a hygienist in the first place: to educate, empower, and elevate health through science-based comprehensive care.
Rising together in 2025
So what does it mean to be an RDH in 2025? It means standing tall in the face of change. It means advocating for our rightful place in healthcare. It means demonstrating through our skill, knowledge, and compassion, that prevention is powerful and that it deserves respect. Most importantly, it means choosing to rise together rather than shrink back.
We are more than a collection of D110s on a day sheet. We are educators, advocates, and leaders. And this year, perhaps more than any other, being a registered dental hygienist feels like an opportunity for more.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the November/December 2025 print edition of RDH magazine. Dental hygienists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
