The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has recently announced plans to support changes to educational requirements for dental hygienists. Currently, dental hygienists in all fifty states and D.C are required to complete an associate degree program before being licensed. However, the ADHA is advocating for increased educational requirements and has proposed making a doctorate degree the entry level credential for dental hygienists by 2032. The ADHA believes these changes will advance dental hygienists’ scope of practice and strengthen the role dental hygienists play in healthcare. According to the organization, the new requirements are supposed to better prepare hygienists for greater responsibilities, including more involvement in patient assessment.
This proposal represents a major shift for the profession as it would move the degree requirements closer to educational standards already set forth by many other healthcare professions. Dentists, for example, are required to complete a Doctor of Dental Medicine in all fifty states. By steadily increasing the requirements for dental hygienists, the ADHA proposal will begin to require the same amount of schooling as someone that becomes a licensed dentist. Supporters of this proposition argue that the new educational requirements will increase autonomy and expand clinical authority. Critics, however, argue that raising the degree requirements will increase the cost of education and create barriers for new students entering the field.
This type of educational transition is not unprecedented in healthcare. A strong historical example can be seen in the field of physical therapy. During the 1990s and early 2000s, physical therapy programs gradually shifted from a bachelor's degree to a master's degree, until about 2005 when they ultimately made the decision to transition into a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). The graph below demonstrates this transition. The requirements moved in opposition to each other. When states stopped requiring a bachelor’s degree, they began requiring a master’s degree, which eventually led to doctorate degrees becoming the new standard.
Note: This graph represents the transition from a bachelor’s degree to a doctorate degree for physical therapists in the United States. Graph is not created by the blog author, but rather is from a talk given by Morris Kleiner to WVU students on the history of occupational licensing in Summer 2024.
The transition in physical therapy occurred for the same reasons listed by the ADHA, they wanted to expand their clinical responsibilities and gain greater autonomy. By expanding their degree requirements, physical therapists were able to gain greater direct access to patients and increase their professional credibility. Today, the doctorate is considered the standard level of preparation for physical therapists entering the field.
The transition in physical therapy also provides an example of how changes in educational standards can affect professional pathways and workforce development. As shown in the graph, physical therapy education gradually shifted over time from bachelor’s degree programs to master’s degree programs and eventually to doctorate-level education. These changes required colleges and universities to restructure programs to meet updated accreditation standards and professional expectations. These same discussions are now taking place within dental hygiene. If educational requirements were increased beyond the associate degree level, dental hygiene programs could undergo similar adjustments, potentially changing the length and structure of educational preparation required for licensure. Such changes could also influence tuition costs, program availability, and the number of students pursuing entry into the profession.
Overall, the ADHA’s recent policy change represents a significant development within the dental hygienist profession. The proposal to eventually make a doctorate degree the entry level credential, along with the support for expanded scope of practice, could substantially change both the educational and professional structure of the profession. Historical examples, like the one pictured above, show how the healthcare field tends to evolve over time as expectations, responsibilities, and standards change. While the long-term effects of these proposals remain uncertain, the ongoing discussions surrounding education, licensure, scope of practice, and workforce development highlight the changing role of dental hygienists within the broader healthcare system.
Sources
“ADHA Adopts Ten New and Updated Policies Affecting Scope of Practice, Education and Licensure.” Dimensions of Dental Hygiene, 4 Feb. 2026, dimensionsofdentalhygiene.com/adha-adopts-ten-new-and-updated-policies-affecting-scope-of-practice-education-and-licensure/.