At the 2026 ADHA Annual Conference in Fort Worth, ADHA President Jessica August presented GoTu with a Presidential Citation in recognition of outstanding partnership and support of the ADHA. I had the honor of accepting it on behalf of our team, and I’m still a little stunned and very grateful.
I want to share what this recognition means, who made the work possible, and where we go from here.
A Presidential Citation honors partners who show up for the profession
Each year, the ADHA president can recognize those outside the association whose support has made a real difference for dental hygiene. Last year, then-President Lancette VanGuilder honored the presidents of the American Academy of Oral Medicine and the Academy of General Dentistry. Their letters helped defeat a Nevada proposal that would have allowed people to become licensed hygienists through on-the-job training instead of accredited education.
That’s the standard this award represents. It goes to those who stood next to hygienists when it counted. Seeing GoTu included in that group is humbling.
The citation reads: “In recognition of outstanding partnership and support of the ADHA.”
This recognition belongs to the hygienists who led the way
I’ll be honest about something. Advocacy for dental hygiene has always been led by dental hygienists. Our job at GoTu is to listen, show up, and make sure the resources behind us go where the profession needs them.
That’s what GoTu has tried to do since we partnered with ADHA in May 2025. Together, we’ve focused on the issues hygienists told us matter most: mental well-being, professional development, and the freedom to build a career that fits their life.
This spring, GoTu sponsored Hygienists on the Hill, ADHA’s first coordinated member-driven federal advocacy visit in 20 years. Jessica’s group alone held 11 meetings with congressional offices and federal agencies, including a conversation with CMS about direct Medicaid reimbursement for hygienists. Watching hygienists make their case directly to lawmakers was one of the proudest moments of my career, and I was there mostly to support.
License portability is a workforce issue and a patient care issue
A big part of our shared work has centered on the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact. The Compact lets licensed professionals practice across member states without starting the licensing process over.
For hygienists, that means more control. A move for a spouse’s job, a family need, or a new opportunity no longer has to put a career on hold. For patients, especially in areas with too few providers, it means more access to preventive care.
GoTu built free Compact toolkits for hygienists, students, and employers so more people understand what the Compact is and whether it’s coming to their state. We’ll keep supporting that education as more states consider joining.
Advocacy works best when it starts with listening
The most important thing I’ve learned in this role is that good advocacy starts with good data and real conversations. Nearly 4,000 RDH respondents shared their experiences in GoTu’s 2026 State of Work Report. Those responses shape how we show up, what we prioritize, and how we talk about the future of dental work.
Our User Advisory Council does the same thing on a smaller scale. Hygienists, assistants, and offices tell us what’s working and what isn’t, and we take that back into our programs.
What comes next
This citation is a reminder that the work isn’t finished. Hygienists still face burnout, rigid schedules, and barriers to practicing where they’re needed most. We plan to keep showing up for Compact education, federal and state advocacy, and programs that give hygienists more control over their careers.
To Jessica, thank you for this honor and for your leadership. To the ADHA staff, Advocacy Advisory Committee, and every hygienist who has trusted us with their stories, thank you. I’m proud to keep doing this work alongside you.
Get the free DDH Compact Toolkit at gotu.com/ddh-compact-toolkit
