Low-income Vermont residents are between a rock and a hard place if they need more than preventive dental care. In central Vermont, only two dentists accept patients covered by Medicaid, leaving many with rampant decay or severe tooth pain…

Only two states —Texas and Delaware — do not include the administration of local anesthesia in the scope of practice for dental hygienists. Now, Delaware is very close to being the only one, as the Texas state legislature passed a bill,…

In Minnesota, 40% of the state’s 3,000 dentists do not accept Medicaid, severely limiting access to dental care for low-income patients. In an effort to expand access to care among Minnesotans of low socioeconomic status, of ethnic and…

Maryland residents with disabilities who need low- or no-cost dental care are forced to wait more than a year in some areas due to a lack of providers. The Maryland Foundation of Dentistry (MFD) has been helping those with intellectual,…

Researchers at the Dalhousie University School of Dental Hygiene in Nova Scotia, Canada, have launched a 3-year study on the efficacy of a drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes in preventing oral cancer. The study will include nine sites…

Native American populations have long endured poor oral health outcomes due to lack of dental care. In some areas of the nation, including Alaska and Washington, the introduction of dental therapists has helped improve access to care.…

Dental practices across California have struggled to fill employment openings since the COVID-19 pandemic, with dental assistants proving to be some of the most difficult hires to make. As such, the California Dental Association (CDA)…

Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed HB 1678 into law on May 15, authorizing the licensure of dental therapists throughout the state. Previously, dental therapists could only practice on Tribal lands. Now, dental therapists will be able to…

Cherelle Parker was knee deep into her campaign to win the Democratic primary in Philadelphia’s mayoral race when she learned she needed a tooth extracted. It was February and the field was competitive with more than five contenders. So,…

The University of Washington School of Dentistry in Seattle has received a $2.7 million grant to study the three types of inflammatory responses generated by exposure to dental plaque. Through an improved understanding of these responses,…