The American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA®) and Delta Dental Foundation (DDF) in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana have officially launched Hygienist Inspired, an innovative chairside recruitment program designed to address the dental hygiene profession’s talent shortage, increase diversity, and expand access to oral care.
The program is currently being piloted in nine states, including Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, with plans to expand nationwide over the next two years.
Delta Dental Foundations in each state will fund program ambassadors to lead local recruitment and outreach efforts. These ambassadors recently completed intensive training with guidance from ADHA and DDF.
“The Hygienist Inspired program is built on a simple yet profound idea – that dental hygienists are not just practitioners of the profession, but powerful advocates who shape the future of the profession and inspire the next generation of professionals,” said Erin Haley-Hitz, president of ADHA.
By leveraging the passion and influence of hygienists, we hope to attract more people to this rewarding, meaningful profession while promoting a more diverse and inclusive workforce.”
The trained ambassadors will serve as outreach leaders across the state, promoting the dental hygiene profession to the public through chairside conversations, community events and on-site recruitment in clinics.
They are equipped with specially designed promotional materials that highlight the key benefits of the profession, such as flexible work hours, diverse practice environments and stable career prospects, in an effort to inspire more people, especially those from underrepresented groups.
“We’ve found that many hygienists from underrepresented communities were initially inspired and encouraged by their dental hygienists at the bench,” said Dr. Holli Seabury, Executive Director of DDF.
Personal invitations are powerful, especially when they build buy-in. We want to not only expand the workforce, but also increase diversity and improve access to oral health in underserved areas.”
The Hygienist Inspired program also introduces the concept of a Dental Hygienist Inspired Alliance, and anyone who supports the mission is encouraged to participate.
Alliance members do not have specific ambassadorial duties, but they commit to actively contribute by disseminating program resources, promoting the social value of the dental hygienist profession, and providing guidance to those who aspire to join the profession.
“Hygienist Inspired Ambassadors are a local core force that not only actively recruits but also inspires other hygienists to join as ‘allies.’” Dr. Seabury emphasized, “This approach, which is accessible to everyone, will promote a true grassroots movement and allow us to continue to expand our influence.” The core resources of the “Hygienist Inspired” program include:
Provide a one-stop career exploration path through the ADHA website;
The “RDH Preparation Checklist” provides a systematic entry guide for those interested;
Collect dental hygiene education programs, scholarship opportunities and career guidance information;
Show the diverse career development paths of dental hygienists;
Provide multi-language promotional materials suitable for different audiences.
Through this program, ADHA and DDF hope to build a stronger and more representative dental hygienist workforce to better serve communities across the United States, especially those in areas with limited medical resources.