FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New subject-specific training program addresses educator training required by CODA standards
ADHA launches educational methodologies course series designed for dental hygiene faculty
CHICAGO, June 18, 2025 – The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA®) announced the launch of its Educational Methodologies course series, providing dental hygiene faculty with the first collection of subject-specific educational methodology training designed to meet CODA Standard 3-6b requirements.
CODA Standard 3-6b requires that “all dental hygiene program faculty members must have documented background in current educational methodology concepts consistent with teaching assignments,” but faculty have previously had to piece together training from various sources.
“This series fills a void that dental hygiene faculty have been experiencing for years,” said JoAnn Gurenlian, MS, Ph.D., RDH, ADHA director of education, research and advocacy, who led the development of the program. “Faculty told us they were having to create their own training materials to fulfill CODA requirements. Now they have a centralized resource from ADHA with a standardized approach that ensures consistency across programs while meeting CODA requirements.”
The series launched with six courses covering core dental hygiene curriculum areas:
• Educational Methodologies: Dental Anatomy
• Educational Methodologies: Preventive Dentistry
• Educational Methodologies: Clinical Instruction/Calibration
• Educational Methodologies: Ethics and Legal Principles
• Educational Methodologies: Pain Management
• Educational Methodologies: Periodontology
Three additional courses covering radiology, head and neck anatomy and dental materials will be available in mid-July of this year, with plans to expand to 20 subject areas over the next two years.
Each course provides educational theory and practice specific to its subject area, including adult learning best practices, sample activities, downloadable handouts and practical resources that faculty can immediately implement in their classrooms.
“I’m honored to contribute to the Educational Methodologies. This initiative is a critical step forward in addressing a gap that has long challenged allied dental faculty, which is access to methodology training that’s both relevant and immediately applicable to their unique content-specific areas,” said Emily Boge, Ed.D., RDH, CDA, author of the Educational Methodology for Ethical and Legal Principles course in the series. “Creating subject-specific methodology courses allows educators to go beyond general pedagogy and immerse themselves in teaching strategies tailored to the actual content they’re responsible for delivering.”
The Educational Methodologies courses were developed by recognized content experts, including textbook authors and published researchers in their respective fields. Each course underwent rigorous review to ensure both content accuracy and instructional design quality.
“The courses are designed with faculty in mind, breaking content into short video segments of three to six minutes for optimal comprehension,” Gurenlian said. “Each course includes multiple parts with self-reflection exercises, downloadable resources like sample activities and curriculum guides, and knowledge checks after each section. Faculty can access practical tools they can immediately customize for their own classrooms, from faculty guides to student handouts.”
The courses are available through ADHA’s CE Smart online learning platform at $25 for ADHA members and subscribers, and $80 for nonmembers. Each course offers 2.0 continuing education credits.
ADHA’s Educational Methodologies courses are available at adha.org/CESmartCatalog.
###
About the American Dental Hygienists’ Association
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is the only organization representing the professional interests of the more than 220,000 dental hygienists in the United States. 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. The Journal of Dental Hygiene (JDH), published bi-monthly, is ADHA’s scientific journal and flagship publication. To learn more about the ADHA, dental hygiene or the link between oral health and general health, visit www.adha.org.
ADHA Media Contact
Bronwyn Barrera, MBA
(312) 440-8911
[email protected]