Jessica Atkinson, RDH, BSDH, MEd, FADHA is an Associate Professor of Dental Hygiene at Utah Tech University. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from the Utah College of Dental Hygiene and a Master of Education in Instructional Design from Western Governors University.
Ms. Atkinson is the co-founder and CEO of Hygiene Edgeucators, an organization dedicated to empowering dental hygiene faculty through innovative instructional design, curriculum development, and professional growth. She also co-founded Hygiene Edge, a leading educational platform whose instructional content has reached millions of students, educators, and clinicians worldwide.
Her current teaching focus includes pain management, advanced theory, and clinical instruction, emphasizing the translation of didactic concepts into confident, patient-centered clinical practice.
An active advocate for the profession, Ms. Atkinson is a Fellow of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (FADHA) and currently serves on the Utah Dental Hygienists’ Association Legislative Committee. She has previously served as UDHA President and Head Delegate. She speaks nationally and internationally on dental hygiene education, innovation, and advocacy. Her commitment to service extends globally through multiple dental humanitarian missions to the Philippines, Dominican Republic, and Honduras.
Professor Atkinson is passionate about inspiring confidence, curiosity, and leadership in future dental hygienists. She believes that empowered students become empowered clinicians—ready to elevate the standard of care and the profession itself. Outside academia, she enjoys cycling, hiking, and reading, viewing her work through a lens of lifelong learning and service.