The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) presented presidential citations to two national oral health organization leaders for their support during a recent legislative effort in Nevada concerning dental hygiene licensure standards.
ADHA President Lancette VanGuilder presented the awards to Jaisri R. Thoppay, president of the American Academy of Oral Medicine (AAOM), and Chethan Chetty, president of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), during the opening general session of the 2025 ADHA Annual Conference on October 4 in Long Beach, California.
According to the ADHA, both leaders responded promptly with letters opposing sections 77 through 79 of Nevada Senate Bill 495. The proposed bill would have allowed individuals to become licensed dental hygienists through on-the-job training rather than through education from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)-accredited program.
“When we reached out, these letters were in legislators’ hands within a day,” VanGuilder said. “They didn’t hesitate. Dr. Thoppay and Dr. Chetty recognized immediately that this wasn’t just about dental hygiene — it was about patient safety, educational integrity and the future of oral health care.”
The letters submitted by AAOM and AGD emphasized the importance of maintaining rigorous educational requirements to ensure patient safety. The bill ultimately failed to pass.
Chetty received his citation in person. Ken Ikeda, immediate past president of AAOM, accepted the citation on Thoppay’s behalf.
“These weren’t form letters — they were clear statements about the value of rigorous education,” VanGuilder said. “At a time when many organizations remained silent, AAOM and AGD said clearly: shortcuts in education mean compromises in patient care.”
According to the ADHA, Thoppay’s and Chetty’s organizations were among the few health care groups that issued formal opposition letters during the legislative process. The ADHA and the Nevada Dental Hygienists’ Association had contacted multiple organizations during the debate over SB 495.
The recognition also highlights ongoing collaboration between ADHA and the honored organizations. AAOM partners with ADHA on annual education webinars focused on oral cancer and oral medicine. AGD has recently worked with ADHA on joint programming related to the future of the dental professions.
“The relationships we build are valuable assets,” VanGuilder said in her opening remarks to the conference. “These awards celebrate leaders who understand that working together creates lasting change.”
The ADHA stated that the citations reflect the organization’s continued focus on building partnerships with groups that support evidence-based education, professional standards, and patient safety in oral health care.
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