Chicago–July 8, 2004–In an effort to address the severe oral health disparities plaguing millions across the United States, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association adopted three key resolutions at its 81st annual session held recently in Dallas, which will impact the oral health of the public.

Following an almost unanimous vote, the ADHA House of Delegates officially adopted resolutions to create an “advanced dental hygiene practitioner” position, an ADHA-developed educational curriculum for this position and an official definition of this position to be added to ADHA’s policy manual.

“The dental hygiene profession, on the frontline of defense against oral disease, is uniquely qualified and positioned to meet the oral health needs of the un-served. ADHA is taking the lead in answering this considerable need by creating the advanced dental hygiene practitioner who will provide diagnostic, preventive, restorative and therapeutic services directly to the public,” said Helena Gallant Tripp, RDH, ADHA president. “In fact, there are states in which dental hygienists already have an expanded role by providing restorative services. These existing programs demonstrate the successful and easy matriculation of dental hygienists to providing these advanced services.”

The concept of an advanced dental hygiene practitioner, pioneered by ADHA, is not the first of its kind in the health care industry. Precedent has been set in the nursing profession with positions that include: certified nurse midwife, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist and certified registered nurse anesthetist.

“It is ADHA’s objective to answer the unmet oral health needs of the public by providing cost-effective, easily accessible primary care through the advanced dental hygiene practitioner, which is similar to the public health need that fueled the development of a nurse practitioner position,” Tripp added. “We are encouraged by the successful evolution of the nursing field and by the achievements certain states have had in expanding the role of the dental hygienist.”

In addition, Alaska has a dental health aide program, Canada has a dental therapist position and New Zealand has a dental nurse/dental therapist position.

Access to oral health care is at the core of the 2000 Surgeon General’s report on oral health and the subsequent National Call to Action released last year. The ongoing efforts made by ADHA and dental hygienists across the country to provide oral care to the working poor, their children and the elderly prove the relevancy of this new role.

“State practice act changes that would permit, for example, alternative models of delivery of needed care for underserved populations, such as low-income children or institutionalized persons, would allow a more flexible and efficient workforce. Further, all health care professionals, whether trained at privately or publicly supported medical, dental, or allied health professional schools, need to be enlisted in local efforts to eliminate health disparities in America.” 1

Additionally, the U.S. is experiencing a crisis shortage of licensed dentists available to treat the populations who need oral care the most. Millions of Americans in both rural and urban areas are unable to obtain care because there are not enough dentists practicing in those areas. The federal government estimates that more than 31 million people live in areas designated as “dental shortage areas” where there is less than one full-time equivalent dentist for a population of 4,000 to 5,000.

Government figures also illustrate that since 1990 the number of dentists per 100,000 U.S. population has continued to decline. This decline is predicted to continue so that by 2020, the number of dentists per 100,000 U.S. population will fall to 52.7. Conversely, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the dental hygienist profession is expected to be one of the fastest growing occupations through the year 2012.

“Access to preventive oral health care to the disadvantaged can break the cycle of poor oral health, which often begins with children suffering in pain and ultimately developing low self-esteem due to an unattractive appearance and problems with speech that persist into adulthood,” said Tripp. “These adults may have difficulty securing well-paid jobs and most likely will not be able to access and value oral health care throughout life for themselves or their children.”

ADHA is the largest national organization representing the professional interests of the more than 120,000 dental hygienists across the country. Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals, licensed in dental hygiene, who provide educational, clinical and therapeutic services that support total health through the promotion of optimal oral health. For more information about ADHA, dental hygiene or the link between oral health and general health, visit http://www.adha.org.

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1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. NIH Publication No. 03-5303, Spring 2003.