| The purpose of this study is to identify the curriculum content used for teaching dental implant maintenance within entry-level dental hygiene programs in the United States.An electronic questionnaire was distributed by five mailings during the Springof2020 to 329 accredited entry-level dental hygiene program directors in the United States. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi square tests of association (p=0.01). A total of 86 responses were received for a response rate of 26.14%. Most programs 82 (98.8%) provide didactic instruction on dental implant maintenance, while 38 (36.3%) include laboratory instruction. On average students worked with 3.41 implant patients during their clinical education (range = 0-20). There were no statistically significant differences found between associate degree/certificate and baccalaureate entry-level programs. These findings may provide an opportunity for program directors to assess their curriculum and create protocols related to dental implant maintenance. Key Words:dental implants, maintenance, curriculum content, entry-level dental hygiene program |