The Arkansas Dental Hygienists’ Association is here to support you as a dental hygienist. There are many changes to dental hygiene across the nation and we want to be part of the change. Your membership helps us to be advocate for you.

In Arkansas, we are currently working to advocate for:

• Hygienists being able to apply fluoride without a dentist present.

• Dentist and Dental hygiene compact licensure

• The compact:

• Facilitates multistate practice. 

• Enhances license portability when changing state of residence. 

• Expands employment opportunities into new markets. 

• Improves continuity of care when patients or providers relocate. 

• Expands consumer access to highly qualified practitioners. 

• Supports relocating military spouses. 

• Reduces the burden of maintaining multiple licenses.

• More information about the compact can be seen here: https://ddhcompact.org.

• Access to CE Courses

  • In 2023, we launched ArDHA Presents. Each quarter, we will be hosting a virtual CE event. These events provide a unique opportunity to learn about the latest industry trends and best practices from industry experts. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, this event is perfect for anyone looking to enhance their knowledge and skills.

As of January 2024, hygienists can apply fluoride without a dentist present per the Arkansas Dental Board of Examiners. We were happy to attend the ASBDE meeting and gain clarification. At this meeting, we were able to advocate for the placement of Curodont Fluoride Repair. This product is now approved for dental hygienists to place in Arkansas. Product information and training can be found here: Young dental website. While this is a small feat, it is a step in the right direction for Arkansas dental hygienists. Stay tuned to see what else we accomplish to increase our scope of practice and be on the lookout for our Day at the Capital in Fall 2024.

Our current efforts are focused on the dentist and dental hygiene compact licensure. The compact is expected to enter legislative in 2025. We are interested in advocating for other dental hygiene advances, such as injection of botulism toxins and dermal fillers and general supervision for periodontal treatment and local anesthesia. If you feel strongly about a specific advancement of dental hygiene in Arkansas, we would love to have you join as a member to serve on our legislative council and lead the charge.

If you are interested in serving to advocate for the advancement of dental hygiene, please email contact@ardha.org