The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has released an updated position statement asserting that ongoing workforce challenges in dental hygiene stem from retention issues rather than a lack of qualified professionals, and calling on employers and policymakers to take action based on documented evidence.
The updated statement, dated May 1, 2026 and which supersedes the organization’s December 2024 version, draws on three independent bodies of research and concludes that the profession is not facing a shortage of trained clinicians but instead a shortage of workplace environments that support long-term career sustainability.
The full statement is available at https://www.adha.org/positions.
“This profession has done the work,” said ADHA President Lancette VanGuilder, BS, RDH. “The research is in and the causes are documented. The next step is clear: implementation at the practice level, where dental hygienists decide whether to stay or go.”
The updated ADHA statement responds in part to proposals from other dental organizations that include allowing foreign-trained dentists to practice as dental hygienists and expanding dental assistants into hygiene-adjacent roles. ADHA stated it does not support these approaches, citing concerns that they disregard existing evidence and may further strain an already challenged workforce.
The statement itself reinforces this position, noting that “the profession is not suffering from a shortage of qualified people. It is suffering from a systemic failure to keep them.” It further emphasizes that substituting alternative personnel does not address the underlying causes of workforce attrition and may risk patient safety, undermine professional standards, and contribute to workforce dissatisfaction.
Drawing on research from the ADA Health Policy Institute, a joint workforce report, and the GoTu 2026 State of Work Report, the statement outlines persistent challenges including inadequate compensation, limited benefits, burnout, and workplace culture concerns. It characterizes these as structural issues driving dental hygienists to leave positions or the profession altogether, rather than a pipeline problem.
“This updated statement is grounded in three consecutive years of data this profession helped deliver,” said Jennifer Hill, CEO of ADHA. “The direction is clear and employers now have the evidence-backed guidance for meaningful changes that will support retention.”
The association’s updated position outlines seven evidence-based priorities: responsive compensation; competitive benefits; positive workplace culture; professional autonomy and full utilization of scope of practice; licensure portability through the Dentist and Dental Hygienist (DDH) Compact; targeted pipeline growth through the Hygienist Inspired Chairside Recruitment Program; and expanded professional development pathways. These priorities align with ADHA’s 2026–2028 Strategic Plan, particularly its focus on workforce sustainability and professional autonomy.
Regarding licensure portability, the statement supports the DDH Compact as a mechanism to improve workforce mobility and access to care, noting strong support among dental hygienists familiar with the model and its potential to expand access in underserved areas using already licensed professionals.
The ADHA, which represents more than 226,000 dental hygienists in the United States, stated that it will continue engaging with stakeholders across the profession to advocate for solutions grounded in shared evidence and a commitment to patient safety and professional integrity.
