In one week, CODA-accredited dental hygienists from across the country will pick up bullhorns and rally in the nation’s capital. Our message is clear: educational standards save lives.
Yet, despite the in-depth clinical knowledge that hygienists have, many of them have not felt supported due to their states’ proposed legislation this year. From Georgia’s successful HB 322 to Nevada’s SB 495 and others, these bills include highly concerning language that would allow for alternative, nonaccredited dental hygiene training options.
The proposed state legislations are written to accomplish what may seem to nonprofessionals like a positive outcome: reducing high-bar requirements for licensure of new hygienists, allowing on-the-job training of dental assistants, and even relaxing regulations for standards of college educators, all in the name of getting more professionals in the field faster and more affordably.
However, the introduction of such alternative programs is signaling three things to dental hygienists in these states: that legislators are significantly undervaluing the RDH role, weakening professional standards may put patients’ health at risk, and hygienists are likely not being consulted about the policies that will directly affect them, their clinical teams, and their patients.
Promisingly, Nevada’s SB 495 failed to pass due to strong opposition from dental professionals who stood up against its problematic language. That is precisely why dental hygienists across the country are doing the same; cutting through the noise by reaching out to their state legislators and raising their voices in person at the rally on October 25.
Staffing shortcuts should never come before clinician skill or patient safety
At a time when many people are struggling to maintain health insurance and making hard decisions about which health-care appointments to make or skip, dental hygiene checkups may be one of the few or only consistent forms of care they receive.
Dental hygienists are the first to see these patients, which places them at the front line of patient care. We see time and time again how dental hygienists are detecting critical conditions and systemic illnesses that otherwise would have gone undiagnosed, exactly as they’re trained to do. Cutting corners in our education will only serve to cut corners in patients’ overall health.
As a dental hygiene educator, I must prepare new hygienists for the realities of our profession. These students go through thousands of hours of classroom education and clinical training to earn their license. They understand that they will play a crucial part in patient care and are committing to not a teeth cleaning role, but a health care role.
So, when legislators propose licensing paths that drastically reduce the training required for new practitioners, how can we expect students to pursue a level of professionalism that their own states suggest is not necessary? How can educators maintain enrollment and uphold rigorous standards in their programs? How can practicing hygienists and allied providers feel respected and valued for the care they deliver, or feel motivated to continue in their careers if legislation undermines their expertise?
There’s no better time than National Dental Hygiene Month to raise awareness of the full scope of our role in oral health and preventive care, and to speak out to protect the educational standards of our profession.
The front line will speak out in DC
It’s evident that legislators and policymakers need to better understand the care that properly accredited dental hygienists provide to patients and the rigorous level of education and training required to perform that high-quality care.
The Oral Health Awareness Project (OHAP) is taking to our nation’s capital during ADA’s SmileCon and its 2025 House of Delegates to rally supporters and make an impact with amplified voices. This is a crucial point in time as dental industry leaders from across the country will reach a critical mass in the same city.
This is an open invitation to act in protecting our educational standards and the lives of our patients. Whether you are a dental hygienist, allied health-care provider, patient, friend, or family member of a preventive oral health-care professional, we encourage you to join us on October 25 in Washington, DC. We’ll save a sign for you.
To learn more about the OHAP movement, visit oralhealthawarenessproject.org and follow members on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay informed of future activity.
Disclaimer: The Oral Health Awareness Project’s Demonstration Day on October 25, 2025, is a peaceful, nonpartisan demonstration taking place in a public space in Washington, DC in alignment with the First Amendment right to assemble. The event is organized independently of any association or entity and is intended to raise awareness of public health issues and elevate the voice of dental hygienists during National Dental Hygiene Month. All participants are expected to act professionally, respectfully, and in accordance with all local laws and event guidelines. No harassment, obstruction, or interference with other meetings, persons, or property will be tolerated.
