Legislators in each state construct policies to define legal scope of practice (SOP) for dental hygienists in their state. These policies create variation in the tasks Dental Hygienists (DH) in different states are legally allowed to perform, which ultimately impacts access to oral healthcare services. The Oral Health Workforce Research Center developed an infographic that depicts state-level variation in DH SOP.

This article discusses the infographic tool to help oral health advocacy groups, policy makers, and other stakeholders better understand the issues which impact access to care.