Public interest in establishing dental hygiene programs outside private dental offices and states expanding the dental hygienist scope of practice are both true statements. Which option best reflects this?

• A. Both statements are true
• B. First statement true; second false
• C. First false; second true
• D. Both statements false

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how dental hygiene education and practice are expanding to improve access to preventive care. Public interest in establishing dental hygiene programs outside private dental offices shows a move to train and place hygienists where care is actually delivered—in community colleges, public health clinics, schools, and other non-private settings—so more people can receive preventive services close to where they live. At the same time, many states have broadened the dental hygienist scope of practice, allowing more preventive and limited clinical tasks to be performed with varying levels of supervision or even independently in designated settings. This policy shift aims to remove barriers to care and extend preventive services to underserved populations. Taken together, these trends explain why both statements are true: there’s growing emphasis on community-based education and on expanding what hygienists can do in practice.