Oppose The Act!!

The ADA passed resolutions in their most recent House of Delegates (HOD) proposing among other things, foreign trained dentists to be accepted and licensed as dental hygienists without taking a licensing exam or any other vetting process. This has moved a step further.

The ADA, in conjunction with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has developed the Dental Access Model Act which advocates for dental assistants to perform scaling in all states, as Expanded Function Dental Assistants (EFDAs) and Oral Preventive Assistants (OPAs). While each state would need to pursue and pass this legislation, ALEC is a nonprofit organization of influencers who draft, share and guide states through the legislative process. NCDHA and ADHA encourage individuals (dental/non-dental), educators, organizations and educational institutions to write letters in opposition of this legislation. Any model that seeks to modify the dental workforce must prioritize patient safety and quality of care above convenience and profit. The Act and its introduction are controversial because there is no available data or reported outcomes of the pilot program demonstrating safety, appropriateness, or efficacy of allowing dental assistants to perform scaling procedures. Prematurely expanding this model without supporting evidence endangers patient safety, compromises quality of care, and undermines the established standards of dental hygiene practice.

How Can You Help:

We have provided a Template Letter/Email for you to download, share with your friends, family and colleagues (dental/non-dental), add your information and email to Lisa Nelson, CEO of ALEC, Lee Schalk, Senior Vice President of Policy with ALEC, ALEC State Representative and your state legislators, sharing your opposition to these harmful bills when introduced.

Your Voice Matters! Together, we can protect the future of the dental hygiene profession and safeguard patient care!