Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Define the current scope of practice variations for dental hygienists across the U.S. and how they impact patient access and clinical outcomes.
2. Explain the historical and political forces that shaped dental hygiene regulation and the role of organized dentistry in maintaining restrictive policies.
3. Distinguish between common myths and evidence-based realities concerning autonomous dental hygiene practice.
4. Evaluate how dental hygiene autonomy improves workforce efficiency, patient safety, and care equity.
5. Identify policy levers and professional strategies that support ethical advancement of the dental hygiene profession without compromising interdisciplinary collaboration.

   Learning Objectives:

   Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

6. Define the current scope of practice variations for dental hygienists across the U.S. and how they impact patient access and clinical outcomes.
7. Explain the historical and political forces that shaped dental hygiene regulation and the role of organized dentistry in maintaining restrictive policies.
8. Distinguish between common myths and evidence-based realities concerning autonomous dental hygiene practice.
9. Evaluate how dental hygiene autonomy improves workforce efficiency, patient safety, and care equity.
10. Identify policy levers and professional strategies that support ethical advancement of the dental hygiene profession without compromising interdisciplinary collaboration.

This course explores the evolving landscape of dental hygiene scope of practice, examining the regulatory, educational, and economic frameworks that shape autonomy in the profession.  Participants will learn how restrictive policies impact access to care, workforce capacity, and clinical outcomes—and why autonomy is not a threat, but a solution. Through historical context, legal precedent, and real-world examples, the course will dispel myths surrounding dental hygienists’ independence and provide a grounded roadmap for reform, collaboration, and ethical patient care.