Parallels between the Development of the Nurse Practitioner and the Advancement of the Dental Hygienist

Abstract

Dental hygienists have often been described as the registered nurses of the dental field. Similar parallels also exist between the development of the nurse practitioner from the nursing profession and the evolution of the dental hygiene practice and profession. This article explores three major similarities between the two professions of nurse practitioners and dental hygienists. Public health issues, educational constructs, and the social and political environments shaping each profession are discussed to inform dental hygienists of their potential career options for future expanded therapeutic care roles.