Our favorite part of any dental visit is after it’s over running our tongue across our newly polished teeth. Right? Thank you to all our dental hygienists who work so hard to keep our pearly whites healthy and bright!
Dental Hygiene turns 100 this month! In honor of National Dental Hygiene Month we thought we’ve give you a few, brief highlights of the history of Dental Hygiene in the United States. And, of course, let’s brush and floss regularly exactly as they showed us how!
1914 – The first class of Dental Hygienists graduates this year from a Dental Hygiene program established in Bridgeport, CT by Dr. Alfred C. Fones.
1917 – Irene M. Newman becomes the first woman to receive a license to practice Dental Hygiene as standards set by Columbia University. Ms. Newman was the original Assistant to Dr. Alfred C. Fones.
1923 – The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is established.  The first year saw 46 members.
1939 – The University of Michigan becomes the first school to offer a Baccalaureate degree in Dental Hygiene.
1957 – The American Dental Hygienists’ Association adopts equality for all members deleting any restrictions on membership based on race and gender.
1960 – Columbia University becomes the first institution to offer a Master’s Degree in Dental Hygiene.
1965 – This year saw the first male to graduate from a Dental Hygiene program.
1971 – Washington State becomes the first state to allow Dental Hygienists to administer local anesthestic.
1987 – Colorado becomes the first state to allow Dental Hygienists to practice unsupervised by a Dentist in all settings.
1993 – The National Center for Dental Hygiene research is established through a grant from the Bureau of Health Professions.
2000 – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services publishes Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General.  The report alerts Americans to the full meaning and importance of good oral health.
2014 – 100 years of Dental Hygiene is celebrated!!
