New recruiting initiative aims to improve dental hygiene workforce shortages, access to care
This article was originally published on Newswise.
Newswise — CHICAGO, July 22, 2024 – The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA®) and the Delta Dental Foundation (DDF) are pleased to announce a multiyear initiative to address the dental hygiene workforce shortage through the development and implementation of a chairside recruitment program with the goals of enhancing diversity in the profession and improving access to dental care in communities that experience disparities.
“Whenever I’d speak to a hygienist traditionally underrepresented in the profession about how they chose their career, I heard time and time again that they’d been recruited chairside,” says Holli Seabury, EdD, executive director of the DDF. “That personal invitation and call to action held power, and I knew we could leverage the strength of hygienists’ influence and expertise to inspire new professionals. But to do that, we needed a partner in the ADHA.”
The initiative will kick off this week at the ADHA Annual Conference in New Orleans with listening sessions, collecting input from dental hygienists who themselves were recruited chairside by their hygienist or who represent communities that have been underrepresented in the profession. Their experiences will contribute to developing a program that can be used to educate consumers and patients on what it means to be a dental hygienist and identify candidates interested in pursuing dental hygiene as a career.
“Hygienists and their patients have existing relationships that lend themselves to chairside conversations from oral care and overall health to self-care, lifestyle, goals and more. This program can help steer these organic interactions in the operatory more deliberately by sparking interest and informing strong candidates how to pursue careers in dental hygiene,” says ADHA President Elect Lancette VanGuilder, RDH, BS, PHEDH, CEAS, FADHA, who sits on the program’s advisory board.
Representatives from both organizations have formed an advisory board that is developing the program’s structure, materials, implementation and benchmarks. The program will initially be piloted in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana by dental hygiene ambassadors who will spread the word, disseminate materials in their local and state communities, and effectively train hygienists to inspire the pursuit of the dental hygiene profession.
“This grassroots approach to promoting diversity in the field and access to care aligns well with the ADHA’s strategic goals and embodies our commitment to equity and access in healthcare delivery and professional opportunities,” adds VanGuilder.
The program will support candidates with financial aid, scholarships, mentorship and support at every stage. Ultimately, it will be rolled out nationwide, partnering with dental hygiene schools to track enrollment trends and measure any increases in applicants or indications of greater diversity entering the profession.
For more information about this initiative or to represent the program as an ambassador, please visit the ADHA website at https://www.adha.org/chairside/.
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About the American Dental Hygienists’ Association
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is the only organization representing the professional interests of the more than 220,000 dental hygienists in the United States. Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals, licensed in dental hygiene, who provide educational, clinical and therapeutic services that support total health through the promotion of optimal oral health. The Journal of Dental Hygiene (JDH), published bi-monthly, is ADHA’s scientific journal and flagship publication. To learn more about the ADHA, dental hygiene or the link between oral health and general health, visit www.adha.org.
About the Delta Dental Foundation
The Delta Dental Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization established in 1980, which serves as the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and North Carolina. The DDF is dedicated to developing and enhancing partnerships and programs to improve oral and overall health and health equity. For more information, visit www.deltadental.foundation.
“Delta Dental’s confidence in PPSC through this extraordinary and generous gift has launched our campaign to develop additional resources that not only support our students but also address needs in our community," PPSC President Lance Bolton said. "This unique training facility enables the college to implement a new dental hygiene program and expand the existing dental assisting program. This opportunity stands out because Colorado Springs is one of the largest metro areas in the nation without a dental hygienist program, and our region suffers from a significant shortage of dental health professionals."
Colorado ranks 48th nationally in training facilities for dental hygienists and lower than that for dental assistants. The new facility is a step toward increasing that national ranking and providing people with the oral healthcare they need.
The new facility will feature two clinics with a total of 20 chairs. They will also include high-fidelity simulation to decrease risk while offering a hands-on and interactive learning experience for students. The use of advanced dental technology such as intra-oral and 3D imaging, and CAD/CAM crown design and production will be available to use in the facility as well.
With the completion of the facility, the dental assisting program will use the space until the fall semester when the dental hygiene program will become fully accredited.
"This investment is focused on supporting a workforce that’s more reflective of our state's population. So that first of all people of all races and backgrounds see opportunity in dentistry, but also the customers know that they'll be given their care and more culturally competent manner that they're comfortable in," Gov. Jared Polis said.