Course Description:
We discuss national initiatives intended to reduce the shortage of dental hygienists by allowing less qualified people to practice dental hygiene.

This CE is geared toward: Dental Hygienist and Dental Hygiene Practice. Though this CE has a focus on dental hygiene practice, Dentist and Dental Assistants can still earn CE credit for this course.

Objectives:

• Describe ADA proposals intended to address the workforce shortage of dental hygienists.
• Describe training & functions of the ADA's proposed Oral Preventive Assistant (OPA).
• Discuss actions taken by the ADHA to address the ADA proposals.
• Discuss how clinical dental hygienists can get involved with opposing proposals that would reduce the requirements to become a licensed dental hygienist.