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Dental hygiene is defined as the science and practice of the recognition, treatment and prevention of oral diseases. The history of dental hygiene research is considered in the context of the development of the discipline and an emerging infrastructure. Research-related events supporting the growth and maturation of the profession are considered from the early years to the most recent. The benefits of preventive oral health services provided by dental hygienists have been supported by research, and the practice of dental hygiene has expanded as a result of research findings since its inception 100 years ago. Dental hygienists' engagement in research, however, did not begin until the 1960s as research associates or administrators, primarily with dental researchers as primary investigators. The Journal of Dental Hygiene (JDH) has provided information for dental hygiene practice since 1927, and has been the primary venue for dissemination of dental hygiene research since 1945. Graduate education in dental hygiene at the master's degree level and the work of early dental hygiene researchers led to the first conference on dental hygiene research in 1982. Over 30 years later, dental hygiene has established a meta-paradigm and defined conceptual models, built an initial infrastructure to support research endeavors and contributed much to the development of dental hygiene as a unique discipline. A doctoral degree in the discipline, continued theory-based research, initiatives to foster collaborations between dental hygiene and other researchers and enhanced capabilities to attract funding to support large scale studies are goals that must be attained through the efforts of future researchers to address the needs for additional development in the discipline of dental hygiene. Dental hygiene research supports the growing discipline and its value to society.

Dental hygiene education in the Netherlands started in 1968 after a long political debate about roles, functions and the working domain. From a slow start with five students in a school based on the American model with a 2-year curriculum, dental hygiene education is now a 4-year, higher professional education with an admission of 300 students annually who pursue the degree of Bachelor of Health at a University of Applied Sciences. In the 45 years of its existence, the dental hygiene profession has undergone a tremendous change. In the beginning, dental hygienists worked under the supervision of a dentist, which changed in 1992 to their working 'under referral' from a dentist, and again in 2006, when dental hygienists became directly accessible. One-third of the working force of approximately 2700 dental hygienists (2010) is now working in their own independent practice. The focus of professional practice has changed from the prevention of caries via periodontology to the relationship between dental health and general health and well-being. The profession, the education and the Dutch Dental Hygienists' Association (Nederlandse Vereniging van Mondhygiënisten) have matured, and its members are now serious partners in oral health care., (© 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.)

This historical narrative highlights the origin and development of the dental hygiene profession in South Korea. The legacy of early American missionaries to Korea includes profound and long-lasting contributions in medicine, education and theology. Many of Korea's top universities today have their roots in the missionary schools of the late nineteenth century, including Yonsei University, home of the first dental hygiene program in Korea. From Yonsei in Seoul, the dental hygiene profession spread throughout the country, includingtheAmerican missionary-based program in Kwangju in 1977. Contributions included clinical and didactic education, as well as professional leadership and development. American dental missionaries developed the profession of dental hygiene in Korea, and provided guidance to Korean dentists and hygienists for its growth and expansion.

Purpose: The purpose of this literature review is to document the contributions dental hygienists have made over the past 3 decades to improve the nation's oral health. This historical review encompasses selected literature that acknowledged dental Hygienists' direct involvement in U.S. school-based or school-linked oral health programs from 1970-1999., Methods: Five researchers independently searched MEDLINE, PubMed, and other electronic databases to identify relevant literature for the years 1970-1999. The search aimed to locate articles authored by or that documented dental Hygienists' involvement as "service provider" in U.S. school-based oral health programs. For the purpose of this review, service provider was defined as educator, administrator, clinician, examiner, or any other unspecified service performed by a dental hygienist., Results: Fifty-seven articles were retrieved, of which 36 (63%) directly linked dental hygienists to U.S. school-based activities. Twenty-seven articles specifically identified dental hygienists as service providers. Dental hygienists were listed as either primary or contributing author on 19 of these articles., Conclusion: The decade of the 1970s revealed very little literature documenting dental Hygienists' involvement in U.S. school-based oral health programs. The 1970s, however, were instrumental in laying the foundation for service in the years that followed. As public health initiatives expanded in the 1980s, dental hygienists were identified in the largest number of papers as key personnel in the areas of education, management, service provider, and author. The decade of the 1990s yielded less literature than the 1980s, yet recognized dental Hygienists' involvement in all aspects of oral health care delivery, program development and management, and authorship. The authors of this review theorize that dental hygienists were engaged in more school-based programs than reported and were involved in the authorship process more frequently than documented. Due to lack of credentials, or the omission of the words "dental hygienist," "RDH," or "LDH," in favor of "health care provider," "auxiliary," or "trained health care educator," it is unknown what portion of contributions made by dental hygienists remain undocumented.

This paper discusses the collaborative practice of dental hygiene, primarily using examples from California and New Mexico. Several advantages are discussed, including an increased access to all populations and more respect for the field. The earliest roles of a dental hygienist reflect common components of a collaborative practice. Responsibilities of dental hygienists today as educators and preventive dental providers are also tied to this type of practice. Currently, few states in the USA allow such practices; however, benefits are discussed and the positive effects noted. Opposition to these practices exists, although the concerns have not been proven accurate. Collaborative dental hygiene practices are shown to be a positive avenue through which the population can gain access to noted provider shortages, as well as a rewarding option for the field of dental hygiene.

Origins and benefits of the practice of dental hygiene were investigated in order to provide guidelines to countries where initiatives are being taken to introduce the profession. In Europe, so far the profession has been introduced in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Great Britain, Finland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain. Programmes in Ireland, Poland, and Romania are not presented in this article. Information for this study was obtained using questionnaires and followed up by e-mail correspondence with additional experts, supporting studies and reference literature. All experts consulted are involved in the professional and educational organisation of dental hygiene in their countries. Results show that dentists and dental hygienists who had been inspired by the delivery of preventive care in the US, initiated the European dental hygiene movement. In some countries, opposition of organised dentistry had to be overcome. In countries where the population has limited access to qualified dental hygiene care, such as in Austria, Belgium, Germany and France, a high prevalence of untreated periodontal disease has been reported. There, the lucrative practice of delegating dental hygiene tasks to dental assistants without qualifying education has slowed efforts to implement the profession and resulted in negative health and vocational outcomes. This leads to the conclusion that an implementation of legislation governing the practice and the educational process of dental hygiene in the EU and beyond would contribute to an equitable standard of health care as well as to equal opportunities in education and employment.

Original manuscripts published in the Journal of the American Dental Hygienists' Association (JADHA), (now JDH) from 1927-1970 provide a historical perspective on dental hygiene's professional development. While many of the problems facing hygiene today are not new, there is evidence of progress in addressing them. The problems considered are: (1) hygiene's unique occupational role, (2) independent practice, (3) baccalaureate education, and (4) responsibility for licensure and practice. Support is provided regarding hygiene's unique contribution to society's oral health needs. Further, the article documents progress toward assuming professional responsibility as expressed in hygiene's relationship with dentistry, and in the expansion of hygiene's educational base and research efforts.