Blog Archive
· American Dental Therapy Association
From Dental Assistant to Dental Therapist, One Student’s Journey
Dental Therapy: A Tool for Economic Justice
Creating Community-Based Solutions for Oral Health: Dr. Mary Williard Looks Back on the Fight for Dental Therapy
“People really will do the most incredible things, under impossible conditions, as long as they have the right reasons. And the right reasons are always children, family and community.”
Lessons from How a Community College and Tribe Partnered on Health Workforce Education
In Washington, Skagit Valley College and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community partnered to open the fifth dental therapy education program in the U.S. Learn the story behind this collaboration and its leaders' lessons for success.
Dental Therapists Increase Access to Quality Services
Dental therapy is an innovative model of providing oral health services to underserved communities. Data is clear that dental therapists are improving the quality of care for communities most in need.
Oral Health Equity Starts with Accessible Education
The Commission on Dental Accreditation is the entity that accredits all U.S. dental and dental hygiene schools. The standards they adopted for dental therapy education ensure training quality and consistency, while also promoting health equity.
Dental Therapy at the Intersections of Access to Care, Racial and Economic Justice
New research in the Journal of the American Dental Association explored dental therapy in a region of Alaska. Data shows that dental therapists increase access to oral health care, and effectively complement the dental care team.
Opportunities for Federal Policymakers to Support Dental Therapy
In a recent webinar, expert panelists highlighted steps that Congress and the Biden administration could take to reduce oral health disparities by leveraging dental therapists.
Dental Therapy is a Free Market Issue
In the National Partnership for Dental Therapy’s recent webinar, Dental Therapy: A Free Market Health Care Solution, panelists explained why it’s an ideal bipartisan strategy to improve America’s oral health.
Veterans Need Congress And The VA To Unlock Access To Dental Care And Hire Dental Therapists
While serving as dental director for the Cincinnati Health Department, I led a nonprofit dental clinic that was among the largest in the nation to serve people facing homelessness, many of whom were U.S. veterans, like myself.
Expert panel: Dental therapy can help undo racism in oral health care
As the COVID-19 pandemic exposed, racial disparities and inequities in our health system run deep. When it comes to dental health, people of color and those with low incomes face the steepest hurdles to getting care.
Webinar Explains How State Dental Therapy Laws Can Advance Equity
A conversation with dental therapists on improving oral health care
In a webinar, dental therapists from three different states share experiences joining a dental team. Their diverse stories highlight how the profession is an effective solution to bring oral health care to more people and also improve care in other ways.
Even More Groups Join the Movement to Support Dental Therapy
More than 130 groups are united by their belief that dental therapy is an equity-focused, cost-effective means of addressing a lack of dental care for far too many people across the U.S.
How dental therapy is an economic “game-changer” for communities
A recent webinar highlighted the economic benefits of dental therapy. Experts from a range of perspectives shared a similar message that it is a cost-effective solution to close gaps in access to dental care.
Dental Therapists Breaking the Mold: Bringing Innovative Care to the Community
Oral health experts who spoke on a February webinar revealed a broader view of dental care, where dental therapists serve in diverse settings, integrated with other medical and social services to provide preventive and routine care to their community.
Dismantling White Supremacy in the Oral Health System Starts with Community Power Building
In December 2020, Community Catalyst convened a panel of experts to discuss the intersection of oral health policy and racial justice. In addition to this recap, the webinar recording is now available.
Dental Therapy is Here to Stay: ADTEP Becomes First Dental Therapy Education Program to Receive CODA Accreditation
Ground-breaking decision represents an important milestone in the movement and opens the door for other dental therapy educational programs to follow.
Adapting to Coronavirus, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Dental Therapists Provide Outdoor Dental Care
When the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community’s dental clinic had to limit patient visits due to COVID-19, staff shifted to providing outdoor dental services. It's enabled them to provide more care for the community.
Bipartisan Support for Dental Therapy Grows
Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force Endorses Dental Therapists
Dental Therapists’ Diverse Skillset Helps Meet the Challenge of Providing Dental Care During a Pandemic
With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, dental therapists have shown that they can uniquely step in and provide care that otherwise might not occur.
Protecting Oral Health Benefits in a Post-pandemic World
Editor’s Note: This is the second in a two-part blog on COVID-19 and health equity.
COVID-19 & Racism Exacerbating Existing Health & Oral Health Inequities
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a two-part blog on COVID-19 and health equity.
Access to Dental Therapy Education Matters to Our Communities
Dental therapy not only brings cost-effective oral health care to underserved communities, it also creates good-paying, local job opportunities
Underserved Communities Need Innovative Oral Health Strategies Now More Than Ever
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought even more attention to the health disparities of vulnerable populations and we must continue to act.
Tribal Nations Leading the Way in Delivering Care Through the COVID-19 Crisis
Now more than ever, advocates can lift up and expand innovative community-based models of care and the policies that support them to better address the oral health needs of all people.
Indian Health Service Nears Completion of Community Health Aide Program, Supporting Dental Health Aide Therapists in More Tribes
Generations ago, before contact with European colonizers, Alaska Natives had some of the best oral health of any population on the planet.
Our Children’s Oral Health Deserves Attention Beyond February
As National Children’s Dental Health Month ends, you likely have seen some of the wonderful things dentists have done to provide care to the underserved. But here’s the issue: access to dental health care isn’t just an issue in February.
Data Proves Dental Therapy is Safe and Effective
This week marks the two-year anniversary of an important milestone in the dental therapy movement – the publication of Donald Chi’s, DDS, PhD seminal study regarding the efficacy of dental therapy in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry.
Comfort, Connection, Relatability: The Benefit Of Dental Therapists To Tribal Communities Knows No Bounds
As Native American Heritage Month comes to a close, it’s fitting to take a moment to reflect on what dental therapists have meant to Tribal communities thus far, as well as their potential impact going forward.
Nationwide, Dentists Are Coming Together In Support Of Dental Therapy Because They’ve Seen It Work And They Believe In Its Potential To Greatly Improve Oral Health
Given significant issues challenging health equity, a group of dentists came together to support evidence-based models that effectively improve health equity like dental therapy through the National Coalition of Dentists for Health Equity.
Community Catalyst Welcomes National Coalition of Dentists for Health Equity to the National Partnership
Today, the National Partnership for Dental Therapy is thrilled to welcome The National Coalition of Dentists for Health Equity (DHE) as its third Co-Chair.
· The Pew Charitable Trusts
More States Adopt Laws to Boost Oral Health Care Workforces
Six states have passed laws in the past 12 months authorizing dental therapists to practice in a role similar to physician assistants in medicine.
· The Pew Charitable Trusts
Poll Shows Americans Open to Receiving Medical and Dental Care from Range of Providers
Most Americans are open to getting some basic dental care from medical providers and some medical care from dental providers, according to a nationwide survey fielded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM).
· Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
Swinomish Holds Grand Opening For New Dental Clinic and Dental Therapy Training Facility
Seven Portland Area dental therapy students graduated on June 14 from the Alaska Dental Therapy Education Program.
· Health Policy Hub, Community Catalyst
The Moral Imperative of Responsible Advocacy: An Educator’s Perspective on Dental Therapy
I teach an introductory dental public health course for first-year dental students. The course encourages students to use the scientific literature as the basis for developing evidence-based solutions to public health problems.
· The Pew Charitable Trusts
Experts Develop Model Dental Therapy Legislation
New model legislation for authorizing the work of dental therapists could lead to more uniformity among state and tribal laws governing how much education these providers should receive and how they should be allowed to practice.
· National Indian Health Board
Michigan Authorizes Dental Therapy!
On December 28, 2018, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed into law SB 541, which would allow dental therapists to practice in the state of Michigan!
