IFDH eNews: September 2026
Member News
Australia
IFDH Impact Award Winner
The Oral Health Association of Australia (OHAA) has enjoyed an exciting few months, highlighted by receiving an IFDH Impact Award at ISDH 2026 in Milan for our program Bridging the Gap: Oral Health Promotion for New Migrants, Refugees and People Seeking Asylum in Australia. The initiative was recognized in the Best Organization Programs category for providing accessible oral health knowledge and resources while building stronger connections between the profession and vulnerable communities.
Launching an Integrated Digital Ecosystem
OHAA has also continued to expand its member services, launching an integrated new digital ecosystem incorporating a Learning Hub, Member App, redesigned website and Member Portal, and dedicated Oral Health Careers platform, as well as “Start Strong: Foundations for Success”, a new complimentary online course supporting early-career Oral Health Practitioners with practical guidance on scope of practice, CPD, career pathways and wellbeing.
Canada
Public Opinion on the State of Oral Health in Canada
Read the results of CDHA’s recent national public opinion poll. The polling found exceptionally dedicated support for preventive Oral Health care and the Dental Hygiene profession but also revealed ongoing challenges—largely financial—in accessing this essential care. Highlights are presented in an infographic and in two detailed reports; one examining strengths and gaps, insurance coverage, access to care and consumer behaviours, and opinions on federal funding for dental care, including the Canadian Dental Care Plan while the other details data on the public’s perception of Dental Hygienists and the profession of dental hygiene. –
Denmark
Free Dental Care for All Citizens in Denmark
From the 3rd of June, 2026, Denmark has had a new center-left government and on the same day the political program for the government was published. The program had one new, exciting and life-changing proposal: free dental care for all
citizens in Denmark, which has to be fully implemented by 2035. A lot of questions are still to be answered: Who will be covered first? How will we as an organization be able to make our voice heard? Where will the money come from?
For now, we are waiting for the government to point out which low-income or vulnerable groups are the first to be covered. This could happen as early as this fall. Then an “expert group” will be formed, where we from the Danish Dental Hygienists are expecting to participate. Our goal for the future dental care in Denmark: To make sure that in dental hygienists carry out all the treatments we are trained for. And that dentists only carry out the treatments that only they are allowed to perform – operations, fillings, implants and so on. Today children and adolescents are already covered by public funded dental care. Adults, elderly and vulnerable groups get a public subsidy of around 20 percent when they go to a dental clinic for treatment. The last 80 percent of the payment is covered by the individual citizen. From 2035 all dental treatment will be covered by a full public subsidy according to the current government.
Italy
Speaking about Milan’s ISDH 2026
The International Symposium on Dental Hygiene (ISDH) 2026 ended with a high turnout and strong support from the international dental hygiene community, bringing back to Italy – twenty-eight years after the 1998 Florence event – the world’s most important event dedicated to Dental Hygiene. For three days, Milan served as the meeting point for the international Dental Hygiene community, welcoming over 1,300 professionals from 47 countries and representatives of the 32 national associations affiliated with the International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH). An opportunity for scientific exchange, professional development and international collaboration, which reaffirmed the ever-growing role the strategic importance of prevention in the protection of public health.
The Chair of the International Scientific Committee, Dr Antonia Abbinante, emphasized that the congress represented much more than just a scientific event. “Milan has demonstrated how international collaboration, research and prevention can build a future in which oral health is recognized as an integral part of general health. Scientific evidence, innovation and training are fundamental tools, but it is the professionals, through their daily commitment, who transform knowledge into health for millions of people.”
The Chair of the ISDH 2026 Symposium, Dr Maria Teresa Agneta, highlighted the importance of the event. “The Italian edition of ISDH 2026 leaves a significant scientific and professional legacy: new international collaborations, joint research projects, the strengthening of academic networks and a further boost to the recognition of the role of the dental hygienist as an essential healthcare professional within prevention systems.”
The International Symposium on Dental Hygiene 2026 thus draws to a close, leaving behind a wealth of knowledge, connections and perspectives that will guide the development of the profession in the coming years, reinforcing the role of prevention as a fundamental pillar of future healthcare.
Korea
A Very Successful Academic Conference
The Korean Dental Hygienists Association successfully held its 48th Comprehensive Academic Conference celebrating its 49th Anniversary, together with KDHEX and the 24th Dental Hygienists’ Day, in Seoul in August 2026. Under the theme “The Future Paradigm of Oral Healthcare Led by Dental Hygienists: From Oral to Systemic Health, from Prevention to Integration,” the event welcomed 1,138 registered participants. The scientific program featured 22 lectures exploring the evolving role of dental hygienists in areas including artificial intelligence and digital dentistry, clinical practice, oral health for older adults, and integrated community care. In addition, 50 posters and 16 oral presentations provided valuable opportunities to share recent research findings and clinical experiences. The event brought Dental Hygienists together to consider the future direction of oral healthcare and reaffirmed their essential professional role in delivering preventive and integrated care that connects oral health with overall health.
Nepal
Nepal Flood Victims Benefit from Oral Health Screening
and Free Oral Hygiene Kit Distribution Camp
The Dental Science Hygienist Association of Nepal (DSHAN) conducted an Oral Health Screening Camp and Free Oral Hygiene Kit Distribution Program for flood victims staying at different holding centers in Bidur Municipality, Nuwakot District, on September 9, 2026. The humanitarian outreach was organized to provide essential oral healthcare, preventive education, and basic oral hygiene supplies to people affected by the recent floods. The program reflected DSHAN’s continued commitment to supporting vulnerable communities during times of natural disaster. Through the collective contribution and solidarity of association members, a total of NPR 100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Nepalese Rupees, approximately $650 US) was raised and handed over to Mr. Shree Hari Bogati as relief support. Read the full report.
Slovakia
A Proud Achievement
We are especially proud of our national preventive program “Generation Without Cavities”, which aims to improve children’s oral health through systematic prevention and education. The project received the IFDH Social Responsibility Award – First Prize in 2022 and repeated this outstanding international success in 2025 at the International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH) World Congress in Milan, where it once again received First Prize in the Social Responsibility Award category for the project Generation Without Decay. In addition, the project received the Impact Award – Small Associations for Generation without Cavities – An Investment in a Healthier Future for Children.
United States
Impact Award Winner
ADHA was excited to celebrate the IFDH Impact Award received in Milan for the Dental Hygienist Inspired Ambassador Program.
New White Paper:
Dental Hygiene Self-Governance: An Ethical and Economic Imperative
Of special importance recently is the release of “Dental Hygiene Self-Governance: An Ethical and Economic Imperative,” a white paper that distinguishes professional self-governance from self-regulation and argues that preventive oral health policy cannot be fully modernized while dental hygiene remains governed by systems outside the profession. The paper was authored by Derik J. Sven, DHSc, MBA, MPH, RDH, CDT, FADHA, FAADH, an ADHA Fellow and president of the Virginia Dental Hygienists’ Association, who worked with ADHA to develop the Dental Hygiene Modernization Act. The paper draws a clear line between two ideas that are often used interchangeably. Self-regulation reflects authority delegated by the state to oversee members within an existing system. Self-governance reflects the inherent authority to define scope, standards, educational expectations and the systems through which care is delivered. Dental Hygiene’s current model, the paper argues, grants the profession partial oversight but insufficient authority to shape the structures that determine access to preventive care.
Lots More Activities!
Check our ADHA's newsroom, which highlights all of the recent activities.