title: Alternative practice dental hygiene in California: past, present, and future.
abstract: This study examines the development of the registered dental hygienist in alternative practice in California through an analysis of archival documents, stakeholder interviews, and two surveys of the registered dental hygienist in alternative practice. Designing, testing and implementing a new practice model for dental hygienists took 23 years. Today, registered dental hygienists in alternative practice have developed viable alternative methods for delivering preventive oral health care services in a range of settings with patients who often have no other source of access to care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mertz
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Glassman
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D032022:Delegation, Professional; D003729:Dental Care; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D000078329:Workforce