The Arizona Dental Hygiene Committee is established by law and works under the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners. It is a 7-member committee that consists of one dentist board member, one dental hygienist board member, four additional dental hygienists and one public member, all appointed by the dental board. The Arizona Dental Hygiene Committee advises the dental board on all matters relating to the regulation of dental hygienists and makes recommendations to the dental board concerning statute and rule development which affect dental hygienists education, licensure, regulation and practice. In addition, the Dental Hygiene Committee evaluates continuing education classes for expanded functions and monitors dental hygienist compliance with continuing education requirements.

The Dental Hygiene Board of California is established by law and is independent of the Dental Board of California. It is a 9-member board that consists of four dental hygienists and one dentist who are appointed by the Governor and four public members with two appointed by the Governor and two appointed by the Legislature. The Dental Hygiene Board of California issues, reviews, and enforces dental hygiene licenses, develops the law and ethics examination, promulgates regulations, establishes and maintains fees, provides oversight and approval of dental hygiene educational programs and continuing education requirements for all dental hygiene licensure categories.

Connecticut is unique because dental hygiene is directly under the Department of Public Health. Although there is no standing dental hygiene committee the department director has the ability to appoint an ad hoc committee of dental hygienists, if there is a need to address rules or disciplinary matters.

Delaware’s Advisory Committee is appointed by the governor and consists of three dental hygienists. The committee writes the examination for dental hygiene licensure (in conjunction with the dental board). In addition, the committee votes with the board on issues of dental hygiene licensure by credentials, disciplinary decisions, continuing education requirements for dental hygiene licensure, disciplinary action involving dental hygienists and issues involving the policy and practice of dental hygiene but not the scope of practice.

Florida has both dental hygiene and dental assisting councils. The dental hygiene council is composed of four dental hygienists, one of whom sits on the board, and one dentist member of the board. The council is expected to develop all dental hygiene rules to submit to the board for its approval.

Georgia has a Dental Hygiene Committee. This committee is comprised of a dentist and a dental hygienist.

The Iowa Dental Hygiene Committee is established by law and works under the Iowa Dental Board. It is a 3-member committee that consists of the two dental hygienist board members and one dentist board member. The Iowa Dental Hygiene Committee has the authority to adopt recommendations regarding the examination, licensure, education, practice and discipline of dental hygienists, and carry out duties as assigned by the board. The Iowa Dental Hygiene Committee has the power to make all rules pertaining to dental hygiene, and the dental board is required to adopt and enforce these rules.

Maryland’s committee consists of three dental hygienists, one dentist, and one public member, all of whom are full voting members of the dental board. The committee was created during a sunset review as a compromise to the creation of a separate dental hygiene regulatory board. According to statute, all matters pertaining to dental hygiene must first be brought to the committee for its review and recommendation.

This six member committee, comprised of two dental hygienists and two dentists, one dental assistant and one public member, considers matters related to the dental hygiene profession and makes recommendations to the full board of dentistry. All members of the committee are voting members on the board. The existence of the committee is not mandated by state rules or statutes, but instead is a committee appointed by the chairperson of the board.

A five member advisory commission, composed of the dental hygienist on the dental board and four dental hygienists appointed by the governor was created by the state legislature in 2001. The commission makes recommendations to the board concerning dental hygiene practice, licensure, examinations, discipline and educational requirements.

In 2002, the board assigned both dental hygienist members and one dentist member to be a standing committee to consider and address dental hygiene issues in a timely fashion. The committee formulates specific recommendations to bring to the entire board for action.

Legislation in 2003 added a third dental hygienist to the board who, together with a dentist appointed by the board, constitute a dental hygiene committee that formulates recommendations on dental hygiene rules for the board. In 2019, this committee was updated to The Committee of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy. The committee consists of dental hygienists and dental therapists from the board as well as a board appointed dentist. The committee accepts recommendations from dental therapists, dental hygienists, dentists and the public. The committee gives recommendations to the board concerning licensing and practicing of dental hygienists and dental therapists.

The New Hampshire Dental Hygienists’ Committee is a five member advisory committee, comprised of one dental hygienist member of the board, one dentist member of the board and three addition dental hygienist members appointed by the governor. The Dental Hygienists’ Committee proposes rules concerning the practice, discipline, education, examination, and licensure of dental hygienists. The rules proposed by the committee may be accepted by the Board of Dental Examiners for adoption.

The New Mexico Dental Hygienists Committee (NMBDHC) is established by law and works under the New Mexico Board of Dental Health Care. It is a 9-member committee that consists of five dental hygienists appointed by the Governor, two dentist board members and two public board members. The New Mexico Dental Hygienists Committee may make recommendations about the practice of dental hygiene to the board of dentistry upon the request of the board or on its own initiative, but the board of dental health care is not required to follow those recommendations.

The Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee is comprised of the current dental hygienist on the Oklahoma dental board, and four additional dental hygienists appointed by the board.

Oregon has a Dental Hygiene Committee that is a standing committee of the Oregon Board of Dentistry (OBD). The Dental Hygiene Committee is comprised of two dental hygienists from the OBD, one dentist from the OBD, one dentist representative from the Oregon Dental Association, one dental hygienist representative from the Oregon Dental Hygienists’ Association, one dental assistant representative from the Oregon Dental Assistants Association, and one dental therapist. The Dental Hygiene Committee only meets when issues are referred to them by the OBD. The Dental Hygiene Committee can make recommendations to the OBD for their consideration, but the OBD is not required to adopt these recommendations.

Dental Hygiene Licensing, Dental Hygiene Disciplinary and Public Health Licensure committees exist in Rhode Island. The Board Chair appoints three members of the board, one of whom is a licensed dentist, one of whom is a public member, and one of whom is a licensed dental hygienist, to serve as an examining committee for applicants applying for licensure as dental hygienists. The examining committee for dental hygienists shall recommend to the full board, which shall recommend to the director, applicants for licensure to practice dental hygiene who meet the requirements for licensure.

In 1995, a dental hygiene advisory committee, comprised of three dental hygienists and two public members appointed by the governor and one dentist appointed by the board, was established.

The state of Washington has a uniform disciplinary code which applies to all health professions and creates the regulatory bodies to implement each practice act. Dentistry and dental hygiene have separate practice acts. Dentists are regulated by the Dental Quality Assurance Commission (an independent dental board with no dental hygiene members). Dental hygienists are regulated by the Department of Health, but the statute requires that the department develop rules and definitions to implement the dental hygienist act in consultation with the Dental Hygiene Examining Committee. The committee is comprised of three dental hygienists and one public member appointed by the department.