The Academy of General Dentistry and the Nevada Academy of General Dentistry are opposing a Nevada bill that would establish alternative pathways for hygiene licensure.
Five notes:
1. Certain sections of Nevada Senate Bill 495 would allow individuals to obtain a dental hygiene license without graduating from a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Individuals could instead complete a board-approved training course under dental supervision, aligned with American Dental Association guidance.
3. Erin Haley-Hitz, president of the American Dental Hygienists Association, wrote a letter in May expressing concern that the bill would lead to lower dental hygiene standards and worsen patient care.
4. In a May 30 letter to state legislators, the AGD and NAGD emphasized the importance of proper education to delivering high quality oral healthcare.
5. The organizations said the state can address workforce shortages by appropriating funds to help increase the number of students that can be trained at local colleges and encouraging other educational institutions to launch hygiene programs.
