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"It's more than just a uniform..."

Ask your patients if they would put their life in the hands of a surgeon who received most of his training in the operating room practicing on patents? What about an anesthesiologist who learned how to administer general anesthetic in a six month non-academic program that rented space at a community college? How about a dentist? Would they feel much safer with a dentist trained on the job? What about a nurse?

Pretty frightening prospects, aren't they? Yet, if many in organized dentistry have their way, that's what could be in store for them the next time they go to a dental office for preventive treatment.

In addition to stand-alone training programs, in many cases, organized dentistry is trying to pave the way for on-the-job training of dental hygienists by reducing educational requirements and endorsing minimal in-office initiatives.

"Tell your patients that is exactly what is happening here in Illinois!"

In 1999, the Illinois Legislature passed and the Governor signed a bill changing the parameters of the Illinois Dental Practice Act. These changes allow unlicensed dental workers, with possibly as little as a 6 hour training program, to provide vital dental health services, such as:

The public that we serve deserves only the best-care provided by Licensed Professional Dental Hygienists.

To accomplish that goal, dental hygienists' should complete two to four years of college-based education that includes approximately 600 clock hours of supervised pre-clinical dental hygiene instruction. In order to become licensed to practice, dental hygienists must graduate from one of 234 accredited college or university programs and pass both a written national board examination, as well as, a regional or state clinical examination. 

In addition, basic life support is a required part of a dental hygienists' curriculum. Licensed dental hygienists are also required by the Illinois Practice Act to receive, within each two-year licensing period, 24 hours of continuing dental education and maintain their CPR certification.

The designation of Registered Dental Hygienist assures patients that the dental hygienist has completed a nationally accredited dental hygiene program and is a licensed oral health care provider.  Many of those we serve think anyone in a uniform is a licensed professional because they don't know the difference. 

We must help to educate the public that we serve: help them distinguish us as the professionals that we are by wearing your license!

IDHA asks every Dental Hygienist to take a small copy of your license and wear it proudly on your uniform every day on the job and when you visit legislators. IDHA is providing a license holder to its members. It proudly states that you are a licensed professional and a member of your professional association. Contact the IDHA at 1-800-550-4342 to receive your license holder.

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