The American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA®) has officially launched the 2025 Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice, sponsored by Crest and Oral-B.
This is the first comprehensive update to the guidance document since 2016 and the fourth edition since the standards were first published in 1985, marking a deepening of the oral hygiene field’s continued commitment to evidence-based care.
“The new standards not only set a clear framework for dental hygiene practice, but also reflect our pursuit of excellent care in the rapidly evolving healthcare environment,” said Erin Haley-Hitz, president of ADHA.
It highlights the importance of comprehensive assessment, accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment plans in improving the quality of patient care. As professionals, we have a responsibility to uphold these standards and promote interdisciplinary collaboration to integrate evidence-based practice into our daily work.”
The new standards focus on the actual needs of modern oral hygiene, with a special emphasis on the consideration of social determinants of health and the introduction of a broader risk assessment mechanism.
At the same time, the standard also expands the oral hygiene diagnostic framework, incorporates systemic health factors into the clinical judgment process, and restructures the treatment plan formulation process to strengthen patient participation and collaborative decision-making concepts.
Beth Jordan (MSc), a registered dentist at Procter & Gamble and a member of ADHA, pointed out: “Crest and Oral-B have always worked closely with ADHA to promote evidence-based, people-centered oral hygiene care.
Through this standard update, we continue to support industry education and clinical innovation to help professionals improve people’s daily oral care behaviors, thereby improving overall health.”
The key updates in the new version of the “2025 Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice Standards” include:
New health social determinants and risk assessment content in the comprehensive assessment protocol;
Expand the diagnostic framework to include the impact of systemic health factors;
Redesign the treatment planning process to emphasize collaborative decision-making with patients;
Update the implementation guide to strengthen evidence-based product recommendations;
Strengthen the assessment and recording standards to reflect the actual operation process of contemporary medical care;
Revise the dental hygiene care process model to more clearly show the relationship between the standards.
The new standards were developed by a team of leading experts in dental hygiene education and practice, with Dr. JoAnn Gurenlian (RDH, AAFAAOM, FADHA), ADHA Director of Education, Research and Advocacy, as the project leader.
Gurenlian said: “The new standards are the result of close cooperation among experts from all over the country, and they have brought together their rich experience and professional wisdom in education, research and clinical practice.
For six months, the committee members have invested a lot of time and effort to ensure that this document can truly improve the quality and consistency of oral health services across the country.”
This update is not only an innovation of the existing guidelines, but also sets a clear direction for future clinical practice, which will have a far-reaching impact in the field of dental hygiene.