ADHA House of Delegates adopts proposed revisions in dental hygiene roles

    Aug. 29, 2005
    Revisions to the old model were adopted by the association's house of delegates at its June meeting.

    The American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) has announced revisions to the six roles of the dental hygienist. Revisions to the old model were adopted by the association's house of delegates at its June meeting. The revisions included a new graphic to visually illustrate the changes to the profession.

    Because of the development of the Advanced Dental Hygiene Practitioner (ADHP) and evolving roles in the oral health profession the ADHA Board of Trustees charged a special committee to assess, update, and revise the six roles of the dental hygienist, originally established in the 1980s.

    "Our focus was clearly on the future direction of the profession," said committee chair Katie L. Dawson, RDH, BS, 2005-2006 ADHA president. "As we develop the role of ADHP we need to ensure that the expanding scope and functions of the dental hygienist are clearly defined and integrated to avoid the appearance or potential splintering of the professional roles that may result."

    Created in the spring of 2003, the committee, comprising Dawson, S. Kaye Adams, GDH, Hope Garza, RDH, BS and Lynn Ramer, LDH, recommended several changes to the original model. The most important change included positioning the role of public health as an integral component of the other roles of clinician, educator, researcher, advocate, and administrator/manager.

    The goal of this action was to create a clearly identified set of expectations for all licensed dental hygienists that will help to facilitate further growth in the role of this vitally important frontline healthcare provider. The other changes adopted by the 2004 house of delegates include three resolutions changing ADHA's policy regarding the roles of the dental hygienist.

    PR 12
    That the following definition of the professional roles of the dental hygienist be adopted into the glossary:
    The American Dental Hygienists' Association recognizes the professional roles of the dental hygienist to include, but not be limited to, those of clinician, educator, advocate, administrator/manager, and researcher, with public health being an integral component of all these roles.

    PR 10
    That Education 17-91/13-86 be amended as follows:
    The American Dental Hygienists' Association supports accreditation standards that prepare entry level dental hygienists to assume all the professional roles of a dental hygienist in a variety of settings to meet the preventive and therapeutic health care needs of the public.

    PR11
    That Continuing Education 9-01 be amended as follows:
    That the American Dental Hygienists' Association advocates that licensing agencies accept higher education credits pertaining to any of the professional roles of the dental hygienist for continuing education credit.

    For further information on changes to the six roles of the dental hygienist or to view and download a file of the revised graphic, visit www.adha.org.