Update on Dental Therapy in the United States
Dental therapists are now authorized in 14 states, providing essential services in underserved areas. With persistent dental care shortages across the US, the dental therapy model seems poised to experience continued growth.
A recent article in Stateline noted that dental therapists have gained authorization to practice in 14 states: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and, most recently, Wisconsin. The National Partnership for Dental Therapy, which tracks state policies, highlights the growing acceptance of dental therapists as a vital component in addressing dental care shortages.
Despite progress, efforts to authorize dental therapists in other states have faced hurdles. In Illinois, a bill to amend the Dental Practice Act to include dental therapist licenses died in May. Florida, grappling with one of the nation’s worst shortages of dental professionals, along with Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York, has introduced legislation to permit dental therapists.
Before Idaho’s law passed, some lawmakers expressed concerns about creating a new midlevel position, preferring more training for dental hygienists and increased Medicaid reimbursement rates. Nonetheless, states like Washington have expanded legislation to allow dental therapists to practice in community health clinics, extending care to patients covered by Medicaid beyond Tribal clinics.
Dental therapists are instrumental in providing basic dental care in underserved areas where patients might otherwise face long waits, travel far distances, or forgo care altogether. The shortage of dentists willing to accept Medicaid, due to low reimbursement rates, exacerbates the issue, leading many patients to emergency departments for oral health problems. Research indicates that poor oral health, including tooth loss, is linked to higher mortality risks.
In the Stateline article, Karl Self, DDS, MBA, director of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry’s Dental Therapy Program, emphasizes that dental therapists play a crucial role in expanding access to care, particularly in low-income and underserved areas. Stateline also interviewed dental therapist Savannah Bonorden, DHAT, from Sitka, Alaska, who compares her role to physician assistants or nurses, advocating for a team-based approach in dental care. She clarifies that dental therapists aim to complement, not replace, dentists, enhancing the overall quality and accessibility of dental services. Click here to read more.
