Dental therapists are helping patients in rural communities have access to oral health care. However, they are still not supported in most of rural America, despite the limited access to dental care in those areas.
Dental therapists are licensed to offer basic care such as fillings and simple tooth extractions.
“Over a dozen states have turned to them to increase access to oral health care, and federal advisers say at least eight more are considering doing the same. Like Minnesota, some states have deployed therapists specifically to benefit underserved populations, such as rural residents, Medicaid recipients, and Native American tribes,” reported KFF Health News.
