The Professional Practice Environment of Dental Hygienists in the Fifty States and the District of Columbia, 2001

April 2004

Preface | Executive Summary | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 Factors Related to the DHPPI | Chapter 5 Fieldwork | Chapter 6 Access to Care | Appendix A. Project Advisory Committee | Appendix B. Questions for Meetings at ADHA Conference and Other Field Work | Appendix C. Detailed DHPPI Calculations |
Appendix D. Field Work Details | Appendix E. Background Charts and Tables |
Appendix F: Bibliography

Appendix A. Project Advisory Committee

Cindy Amyot
Director, Division of Dental Hygiene
U of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry
Kansas City, MO

Ann Battrell
Manager, Dental Hygiene Education
ADHA
Chicago, IL

Jan Brown, RDH
Dental Hygienist
Ankeny, IA

Neal Demby, DMD, MPH
Worcester, NY

Karla J. Girts, RDH
Limited Access Permit Practitioner
Beaverton, OR
Kenneth L. Kalkwarf, DDS
Dean, Dental School, U Texas, San Antonio
San Antonio, TX

William Kuttler, DDS
Dubuque, IA

Lynne Tatum Little, RDH
Dental Hygienist
Charlotte, NC

Vicki Nardello, RDH
State Representative
Connecticut State Assembly
Prospect, CT

Larry Platt, MD
Executive Director, Dental Health Foundation
Oakland, CA

Joyce Reedy, RDH
High Plains Community Health Clinic
Lamar, CO

Jan Starr
Director, Government Affairs
ADHA
Chicago, IL

James W. Toothaker, DDS, MPH
Portland, OR

Staff

Edward S. Salsberg, Executive Director
Center for Health Workforce Studies
School of Public Health, University at Albany

Paul Wing, Deputy Director
Center for Health Workforce Studies
School of Public Health, University at Albany

Margaret Langelier, Senior Research Associate
Center for Health Workforce Studies
School of Public Health, University at Albany

HRSA Project Officer

Louis A. Kuta, Economist
National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, HRSA
Rockville MD 20857

Appendix B. Questions for Meetings at ADHA Conference and Other Field Work

The fieldwork conducted as part of the study was designed to gather insights about the extent to which dental hygienists provide essential oral health services for underserved population groups. Questions were asked about a number of topics:

Scope of Practice

1. What States have the broadest legal scope of practice for dental hygienists? What States have the most restrictive legal scope of practice for dental hygienists?
2. Do actual practice opportunities for dental hygienists achieve the possibilities spelled out in statutes, regulations, and rules?
3. What steps are being taken, if any, to improve practice opportunities for dental hygienists in your State?

Underserved Populations

4. What are the roles and responsibilities of dental hygienists in providing oral health services to underserved populations?
5. What are critical prerequisites for creating and maintaining programs to provide dental services to underserved populations?

Best Practices

6. What States have “best practices” with respect to opportunities for dental hygienists to provide dental services to underserved populations? With respect to dental hygienists being reimbursed directly for their services? With respect to working independently of dentists?

Miscellaneous

7. Does the fact that dental hygiene is a “women’s profession” have a significant impact on the scope of practice for the profession?
8. What is you attitude about pediatricians (and other physicians) participating in the provision of dental screening and prophylactic services? Supervising dental hygienists?

Job Market

9. What is your assessment of the job market for dental hygienists in your city/town? In your State? Nationally?
10. Do the jobs that are available have good pay, benefits, and working conditions?

Looking to the Future

11. What are the critical issues facing the dental hygiene profession today? How will these issues be resolved?
12. How do you expect the dental hygiene profession to evolve over the next decade? What must happen in order to achieve these changes?