Henson appointed JCNDE commissioner

Harold A. Henson, RDH, MEd, PhD, attended a Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations meeting focused on the Dental Hygiene Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination at the American Dental Association’s headquarters in Chicago.

Alumnus Harold A. Henson, RDH, MEd, PhD, professor and director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, has been appointed to a four-year term as a commissioner for the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE), running through September 2030. He is the first dental hygiene faculty member from the school to receive the appointment.

Appointed by the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, Henson will serve on the 16-member commission responsible for overseeing national examination programs for oral health professionals.

The appointment builds on his previous service on the Dental Hygiene Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination (DHLOSCE) Steering Committee from 2021 to 2024, where he contributed to the examination’s development. He has also attended JCNDE meetings focused on the DHLOSCE at the American Dental Association’s headquarters in Chicago.

The JCNDE oversees the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, which helps dental boards evaluate candidates’ qualifications for licensure, and the DHLOSCE, which assesses clinical judgment and decision-making in entry-level dental hygiene practice. Both examinations help ensure candidates demonstrate the knowledge and abilities needed to enter the profession and provide safe, effective patient care.

As a commissioner, Henson will help oversee examination policies and administration, including test content, scoring standards, and examination security. Commissioners also help select and oversee expert volunteers who develop and review examination questions. This work supports the JCNDE’s mission to protect public health through valid, reliable, and fair assessments of oral health professionals.

“Being the first dental hygiene faculty member from our institution to serve as a commissioner on the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations demonstrates that our faculty are contributing to the advancement of the profession at the highest levels,” Henson said.

Drawing on his experience as a dental hygienist, educator, researcher, and academic leader, Henson hopes to help ensure national examinations reflect contemporary dental hygiene education and evolving health care needs. His background in teaching, curriculum development, and faculty development has given him insight into the knowledge, critical thinking, and professional skills students need as they transition from the classroom and clinic to practice.

“I hope to contribute insights that help ensure examination content remains relevant, fair, evidence-based, and aligned with current standards of care,” Henson said.

Henson joined the School of Dentistry in 1998 and became a full-time faculty member in 2003. Throughout his career, he has taught at the undergraduate, predoctoral, and graduate levels, bringing an educator’s perspective to his work in professional examination development.

“I view this appointment as an opportunity to serve both the profession and the public while positively influencing the future of dental hygiene education nationwide,” he said.