Nov/Dec 2025 Editor's Note:Advocacy in action

If you look up the word “advocacy,” you’ll find phrases like “to drive change,” “to influence decisions,” and “to raise awareness.” In the dental hygiene community, this could come in the form of clinicians bridging gaps, leading educational conversations, and helping others understand how decisions that affect our profession are made. But why does this matter?

In 2025, advocacy and autonomy became buzzwords in dental hygiene, which in turn caused confusion. As many struggled to understand what was going on, Derik J. Sven was conducting research to identify the issues. Derik holds undergraduate degrees in dental hygiene and health care administration, as well as master’s degrees in public health and business administration. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in health science at George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, where his research focuses on advancing the autonomy of dental hygienists and the broad integration of dental therapists into the health-care system.

Referencing his doctorate degree research, he wrote a six-part series for our magazine to educate and assist the dental hygiene community on how we got here and what would be required for change. The content has been well received and has driven many dental hygienists to ask questions and explore how they can be part of the change. This month, RDH recognizes Derik as an emerging voice in advocacy.

The final installment of the series can be found in this issue. RDH published the complete series throughout 2025; if you missed any of the previous articles, you can find them all at rdhmag.com/sven.

This month’s content focuses on a vast number of topics from burnout and fatigue to wellness and attachment levels. Anne Rice brings insights into neutrophils, Sue Scherer updates us on lead shields, and Melissa Turner shares the latest clinical trends, a topic she presented at RDH Under One Roof 2025.

As the year comes to an end and we reflect on the challenges our profession is facing, be sure to find a community that fits your passion and aligns with your beliefs. Whether you select an alliance, an association, a coalition, an organized project, or your local study club, find your voice and realize you can be part of a push for change. Belonging to something is better than belonging to nothing—this is your profession, and your voice is valuable.

In solidarity,

Jackie Sanders, MBA, RDH

Chief Editor