The State of Being an RDH: Where We Are & Where We’re Going

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As this year comes to a close, I’ve found myself reflecting on what I believe it truly means to be a Registered Dental Hygienist right now.

We are practicing in a time of rapid change, due to innovations that are creating influence both clinically and professionally. Expectations are higher. Patients are more informed. Practices are navigating staffing challenges and evolving models of care. And yet, in the middle of all of this, RDHs continue to show up, leading conversations, delivering care, and advocating for what is best for patients in ways that often go unseen.

I don’t believe we are at a breaking point as a profession.
I believe we are at a pivot point.

A moment where we get to decide how we continue to show up, how we articulate our value, and how we shape the future of dental hygiene.

Here are three key takeaways I believe define the current state of our profession and the direction I feel we are heading. 

1. The Role of the RDH Is Evolving, from “Provider” as well as “Clinical Leader”

Dental hygiene has never been just about “cleaning teeth,” but the gap between what we do and how we are perceived still exists.

Today’s RDH is:

  • Interpreting complex periodontal and risk-based data

  • Identifying disease activity and progression

  • Facilitating patient understanding and behavior change

  • Collaborating closely with dentists and specialists

  • Supporting quality outcomes leading to health, not just procedures

Our role is moving further into powerful communication and leadership.

The future of dental hygiene depends on our willingness to:

  • Speak confidently about the need to follow a clear process of care, leading to key assessments and diagnosis

  • Anchor our care in evidence and health outcomes

  • Advocate for patient specific appointment time, linked to care plans and the tools we need to elevate 

When RDH's own their role as preventive and periodontal experts, the entire dental team becomes stronger.

2. The Services We Provide Are Not Tasks, They Are Health Interventions

One of the biggest shifts I see happening is the reframe of how our services are viewed inside and outside the dental practice. 

Scaling/Debridement, polishing, risk assessment, patient education, these are not line items on a schedule. They are clinical interventions that influence systemic health, quality of life, and long-term outcomes and partnership.

When we:

  • Assess disease rather than chase tasks or expectations 

  • Use periodontal and caries risk data intentionally

  • Normalize the need for "adjunctive treatment" options to address inflammation 

  • Link behaviour and treatment to health, not just coverage or what is "typically done"…we elevate the value of what we do.

The future Registered Dental Hygienist will be one who can clearly answer:

“How did today’s appointment move this patient closer to health?”

That question changes everything, from how we assess/chart, to how we communicate, to how we measure success.

3. Our Greatest Impact Is Not Just Oral Health, it’s How Patients Experience Care

At the heart of dental hygiene is connection.

Patients remember:

  • Whether they felt heard and truly part of the conversation 

  • Whether someone explained things clearly

  • Whether care felt personalized, not rushed

  • Whether they trusted the recommendations given

RDH's are uniquely positioned to influence how patients feel about the dental practice and about their own health.

When we slow down, listen actively, and meet patients where they are, we don’t just improve compliance, we improve confidence, trust, and long-term engagement with care.

The future of our profession is not only clinical excellence, it is human-centered care.

Looking Ahead: A Profession Rooted in Purpose

As we step into a new year, I believe dental hygiene is moving toward greater clarity, confidence, and influence.

But that future doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens when RDHs:

  • Know their value

  • Use evidence to guide care

  • Communicate with purpose

  • Advocate for quality outcomes

  • And support one another in growth 

This is why I love what I do, day in and day out! 

I remain excited about where our profession is going, because I see the dedication, the curiosity, and the commitment in the RDH's I work with every day.

This is a profession finding its voice, one that aligns with the evolving needs of our patients, our industry, and the innovations shaping meaningful change.

And I’m excited to be part of that conversation. Are you ? 

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