Oral

The shortage of dentists in the United States and the lack of access to oral health care for the less affluent populations in the United States was well documented in Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General in 2000 and numerous other studies. Dental therapists have been deployed successfully in over 54 countries, mostly in school-based programs providing basic preventive and therapeutic dental care to all enrolled children. This model that could be applied in the United States for the millions of children who presently cannot obtain adequate preventive and care because of the growing shortage of dentists for an expanding population, the lack of geographic access, and the high cost of private dentists. The proposed session will describe how this internationally developed midlevel dental provider has already been adapted in Alaska and Minnesota for underserved populations. It will demonstrate how dental therapists can be utilized in various settings to meet the needs of those who currently lack the means to obtain adequate oral health care.

Session Objectives: List evidence-based workforce models that increase access to care for underserved populations. Describe the rationale for a broad approach to deployment based on current developments. Explain how the innovative Alaska DHAT model can be utilized in local communities in the United States. Describe how successful enabling legislation can be achieved as in Minnesota for the integration of dental therapists in private practices and community health centers to serve underserved populations. Explain the rationale for assigning priority to children in school-based dental therapist programs in order to maximize accessibility, efficiency and effectiveness