UAlbany Study Finds Regulatory Barriers Limit Dental Hygiene Access

State laws and regulations governing dental hygienists can limit where and how they practice, restricting patient access to essential preventive care, according to a new study from the University at Albany.

Published in the Journal of Dental Hygiene, the research from the Oral Health Workforce Research Center examines regulatory barriers and identifies ways to better use the dental hygiene workforce. Researchers conducted interviews with five national dental hygiene leaders to identify persistent barriers and strategies for strengthening preventive services.

The study identified four major themes affecting the profession over the past decade: regulatory constraints and representation, barriers to care in underserved communities, technology and innovation, and strategies for advancing scope of practice. Variations in scope-of-practice laws across states and limited representation on state dental boards can restrict professional autonomy, according to the findings.

Regulatory limitations also constrain the ability of dental hygienists to deliver preventive services in community-based settings. While innovations such as teledentistry and digital diagnostic tools hold potential to expand access, cost and reimbursement remain hurdles.

To strengthen practice, informants pointed to independent dental hygiene regulatory boards, expanded educational pathways, interstate licensure compacts, and improved Medicaid and direct reimbursement for services.

“Dental hygienists have an important role to play in expanding access to preventive oral health care, particularly in communities where access to dental services is limited.”

said Theekshana Fernando, lead author on the study and research scientist at the Center for Health Workforce Studies, told the University at Albany.

Fernando said that regulatory and payment policies need to evolve alongside advances in education, technology, and models of care so dental hygienists can practice to the full extent of their training.

“Understanding how the dental hygiene workforce is regulated and utilized is critical to developing strategies that improve access to oral health care.”

said Simona Surdu, director of the Oral Health Workforce Research Center, told the University at Albany.

The research concludes that coordinated policy reforms are needed to strengthen professional autonomy and improve access to preventive services.