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Supporting community efforts to ensure access to quality oral health services in the Metropolitan Washington region, regardless of zip code.

About

Oral health is critical to overall health. Poor oral health is linked to an increased risk of stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and premature birth. However, access to providers is not uniform across geographic locations nationally or in the District of Columbia.

According to data from DC Health, DC’s Ward 2 has one dentist for every 639 residents, while Ward 8 has instead one dentist for every 4,060 residents.

Map of the wards in Washington D.C.

Ward 2 Population per dentist: 639

Ward 8 Population per dentist: 4,060

Dental hygienists are a critical link for oral health services: providing preventive care, educating patients, and serving as the frontline workforce for most patients. When hygienists are legally supported to practice the full scope of their licenses and training, patients and communities benefit.

Our Work

We partner with a growing coalition of dental hygienists and allies who want to:

  • serve patients directly in under-resourced areas of the District
  • align the laws regulating D.C. hygienists with those of 42 other states to improve access to care

CCHI provides legal analysis and strategic planning to further its goals of reducing disparities and improving community health. We also participate in D.C.-based and national oral health coalitions sharing ideas and working together to reduce disparities in access to oral health.

As a direct result of the coalition’s advocacy in 2023-24, the D.C. Council modernized dental hygienists’ scope of practice in 2024 — opening up new possibilities for hygienists to meet community needs.

Legal Analysis and Strategic Planning

DC Health

Powerpoint

Presentation to the D.C. Board of Dentistry

View the presentation.

Dental Hygienist Scope of Practice Bill

As a result of dental hygienist advocacy to the Board of Dentistry and the D.C. Council, the D.C. Council included a form of direct access for dental hygienists. Passed in the summer of 2024, the bill allows dental hygienists to establish collaborative agreements with dentists to see patients independently in various public health settings. This new law enables D.C. residents in underserved parts of the city to access quality preventive oral health care.

Our Team

Sara Pollock Hoverter Headshot

Sara Pollock Hoverter Director