As a licensed dental hygienist, I oppose this proposal because I believe it conflicts with our ethical responsibility to place patients’ health, safety, and quality of care first.

The Dental Hygienist’s Oath affirms our commitment to improving the oral health of the public, maintaining high standards of quality care, continually strengthening our professional knowledge and skills, and providing every patient with competent and ethical care.

Convenience should never take priority over patient safety or quality. Dental hygienists are educated, licensed healthcare professionals who assess patients’ individual needs and exercise clinical judgment every day. We should have the right and responsibility to advocate for our patients when a proposed policy could compromise the standard of care.

Hygienst are not just teeth cleaners we are Preventative Therapists.

I respectfully urge the Board to reject this proposal and preserve the dental hygienist’s ability to provide safe, individualized, high-quality patient care. Patients must always come first.