Letter from the editor: January 2026

Dentistry’s biggest challenge isn’t technology, scope creep, or workforce shortages— it’s misunderstanding (although for me personally, reimbursement is the bane of my existence, and we will cover that in future messages). 

As I step into my new role as editor in chief of DentistryIQ , misunderstanding keeps coming up in conversation after conversation—not because people are careless or uninformed, but because dentistry has become so broad, layered, and fast-moving that it’s nearly impossible for one person to fully understand every role, responsibility, and pathway that exists within our profession.

Dentistry is, in many ways, a double-edged sword.

On one side, we have incredible flexibility. A dentist who loses dexterity can pivot into teledentistry and continue diagnosing from afar. I’ve known hygienists who reduced their clinical hours when their necks or shoulders started pushing back, but still had families to support so they transitioned into consulting roles with AI companies, helping with onboarding or education. Dental assistants have moved into credentialing departments, become educators, or worked in research and development at large dental product companies.

That adaptability is something to be proud of. It’s proof that dental professionals are capable, resourceful, and trusted well beyond the operatory.

But that same flexibility creates a quieter problem: assumption. When careers branch in so many directions and with dental boards regulating the profession differently in each state, it becomes easy to misunderstand the titles and scope that we’ve only seen from the outside. This is amplified when people’s titles are the same, but the scope is different than what we experience each day.

How is it possible for every person in dentistry to truly understand the ins and outs of every job function that exists? It isn’t. There’s no realistic way it could be, yet we often behave as though it should be. We see this when a general dentist with limited orthodontic experience looks at a relatively straightforward case and thinks, “I could probably fix that,” only to run into a complication—or when a dental assistant watches a hygienist scaling and assumes that’s the entirety of what a hygienist does.

This isn’t about ego or bad intent. We should be proud of who we are and what we’ve accomplished. It takes intelligence, tenacity, and no small amount of courage to make it through dental education—no matter the role. Then, once we’re licensed or credentialed, we’re asked to be engineers, therapists, HR managers, tax and employment specialists … the list goes on. And most of the time, we rise to that challenge.

The blind spot shows up when we assume everyone else’s role is simpler, easier, or more limited than our own. What we’re really dealing with isn’t disrespect— it’s incomplete information layered on top of increasing complexity.

Job titles alone are enough to make your head spin. What’s the difference between a CRDH and an RDH? What can an EFDA in Washington State do compared to one in Nebraska or Tennessee? Titles rarely reflect true scope of practice, and that confusion only deepens as new legislation is introduced independently in each state, every legislative cycle. The lines don’t just blur—they shift.

Much of what we argue about as scope creep is about how dental boards define scope and how differently that definition plays out depending on where you practice.

So, what can be done?

Advancement of the profession, including the creation of expanded functions, should not be slowed. Dentistry must continue to evolve as the world around it evolves. But progress without shared understanding creates friction, frustration, and unnecessary division among people who ultimately want the same thing: better care and a healthier profession.

That’s where we’re headed at DentistryIQ .

Our goal is to continue keeping you informed, as we have for years, while also creating space for deeper conversations, especially around topics that are often oversimplified or misunderstood. We want to show multiple sides of complex issues and talk them through thoughtfully, without assuming.

If we want to move dentistry forward, the first step is to understand each other better. That is the work ahead—and I’m glad you’re here for it.