Under self-regulation, which entity is NOT typically involved in licensing dental hygienists?

• A. The government
• B. A state licensing board
• C. The dentists
• D. The public health department

Answer: (C)

Self-regulation means the profession governs its own licensure through a board drawn from that field, setting standards, approving qualifications, and issuing licenses. In this setup for dental hygiene, the licensing function is carried out by a board that is primarily composed of members from the dental hygiene profession, rather than by dentists from the broader dental field. The government and its public health apparatus provide the legal framework and oversight, but the day-to-day licensing decisions come from the professional board. Therefore, the entity not typically involved in licensing dental hygienists under this self-regulation model is the dentists.