Since 1953 the ASDHA has been advocating and supporting the Arizona dental hygienist by protecting and expanding the scope of practice as well as serving the community. Following is a time line of these accomplishments.


1953 - ASDHA established
1969 - ASDHA Past President Ruth Bugby presents paper to first Dental Health Symposium in Rome
1970 - Expanded Functions – only an EF RDH could scale subgingivally, which included root planning and curettage. It took 16 years, 1970 - 1986, before the RDH that was not EF could scale subgingivally.
1973 - ASDHA supports mandatory CE for license renewal
1974 - ASDHA supports legislation regarding anesthesia administration for the EF RDH under direct supervision - passed
1974 - ASDHA supports legislation regarding topical fluoride application by the RDH - passed
1974 - General supervision for the RDH although administration of anesthesia remains under direct supervision
1976 - ASDHA Past President Joan Hayden, RDH appointed to BODEX 1978-1984
1978 - ASDHA supports 72 hours mandatory CE for  triennial renewal
1978 - Arizona joins the Western Regional Examining Board
1979 - ASDHA first House of Delegates held
1981 - Administration of nitrous oxide for the RDH under direct supervision
1985 - CPR required for licensure and renewal
1986 - Statute language added that requires graduation from an accredited program of dental hygiene to obtain licensure in Arizona
1986 - All RDHs are allowed to scale subgingivally
1989 - ASDHA hires lobbyist Joe Abate
1990 - ASDHA proposed legislation to protect our scope of practice and define accreditation requirements for licensure - passed
1992 - ASDHA donates four operatories to the St. Vincent de Paul Dental Clinic
1994 - ASDHA proposed legislation regarding Self-regulation. defeated
1994 - Advisory Dental Hygiene Committee to the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners was created. ASDHA agrees with AzDA to propose no new legislation until the Advisory DH Committee is functioning. Rules took six years to create and approve and  the committee did not begin functioning until 2000.
1994 - Second RDH added to BODEX
1995 - ASDHA supports mandatory continuing education of 54 hours per triennial renewal – passed
1999 - RDHs serve on WREB
2000 - ASDHA proposed legislation for unsupervised practice - defeated
2002 - ASDHA supports legislation for Licensure by Credential for the RDH – passed
2003 - ASDHA supports legislation for RDH Restricted Permit - passed
2003 - ASDHA hires new lobbyist, Williams and Associates
2004 - ASDHA proposed legislation for Affiliated Practice - passed
2005 - ASDHA proposed legislation for Anonymous Reporting - passed
2006 - ASDHA proposed legislation making it a class 6 Felony (equal to DDS) to practice dental hygiene without a license; AZ legislature reduced to a Class 1 misdemeanor - passed
2006 - ASDHA proposed legislation allowing all RDHs’ to apply fluoride in all settings without direct or general supervision; changed to an RDH employed by or working under contract or as a volunteer for a public health agency or institution or a public or private school authority may before an examination by a dentist screen patients and apply topical fluoride without entering into an affiliated practice relationship – passed