The American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) is against new resolutions from the ADA, including one that would allow dental students and foreign-trained dentists to practice dental hygiene in the U.S. without a state exam.
The ADA recently passed resolutions 401, 413, and 514B, which would eliminate faculty-to-student ratios in dental hygiene programs.
The ADHA opposes the resolutions arguing that they threaten educational standards, patient safety, and professional integrity, according to a letter from ADHA President Erin Haley-Hitz, RDH. The ADHA believes these measures, which aim to address workforce issues, ignore concerns like oral health and workforce challenges faced by dental hygienists. Instead, the ADHA advocates for improving workplace culture, enhancing professional development opportunities, and providing benefits to enhance recruitment and retention without lowering standards.
Currently, the ADHA is working on initiatives to improve these issues and has invited the ADA to collaborate on finding solutions, according to the letter.
