The Advanced Dental Hygiene Practitioner (ADHP) is a mid-level dental hygienist provider who is
educated to competently provide diagnostic, preventive, therapeutic and limited restorative services
directly to the underserved public.
This new mid-level position could make a positive impact on the lack of access to oral health care
plaguing many people in New Mexico. An ADHP would most likely work in partnership with public health entities
like nursing homes, community and school-based clinics.
The concept of an ADHP is not the first of its kind in the health care industry. Precedent has been
set in the nursing profession with positions that include: certified nurse midwife, nurse practitioner,
clinical nurse specialist and certified registered nurse anesthetist. The nursing profession moved toward
the development of advanced practice nurse through recognition of unmet public health needs.
While a dental mid-level practitioner is a new concept in the United States, over forty countries
successfully utilize the model as the solution to dental care access problems.
The creation and utilization of the ADHP will require changes in the Dental Practice Act.
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NMDHA believes that the dental hygienist is the health care provider
best suited to be the mid-level practitioner because
of our educational and practice experience. In some states, dental hygienists
can already do some restorative procedures. The University of New Mexico
(UNM) has a master's degree program in place that could include a curriculum
for ADHP.
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The ADHA House of Delegates, representing more than 120,000 dental
hygienists across the country, recognized the need for
ADHA to lead the effort to address the public's unmet oral health needs
and thereby approved the development of an advanced dental hygiene practitioner.
Government statistics reveal a projected decline in the number of dentists while there is a projected
growth in the dental hygiene profession. This is becoming particularly evident in New Mexico with new dental
hygiene programs being funded by the legislature. It is clear that dental hygienists could make a huge impact
through the expanded role of the ADHP.
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A number of like-minded organizations interested in increasing the
public's access to health care are supportive of the
ADHP concept. They recognize that oral health is a fundamental component
of total health care and cannot be ignored in total health assessment.
It is time to think “out-of-the-box” and to propose innovative solutions that are safe, effective,
economical and evidenced based to address the disparities in the oral health care delivery system. The
Advanced Dental Hygiene Practitioner is part of the solution.
