Dental therapists: Improving access to oral health care for underserved children

J.W. Friedman and K.R. Mathu-Muju

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 6, 1005-1009

Abstract: Disparities in dental health care that characterize poor populations are well known. Children suffer disproportionately and most severely from dental diseases. Many countries have school-based dental therapist programs to meet children's primary oral health care needs. Although dental therapists in the United States face opposition from national and state dental associations,many state governments are considering funding the training and deployment of dental therapists to care for underserved populations. Dental therapists care for American Indians/ Alaska Natives in Alaska, and Minnesota became the first state to legislate dental therapist training. Children should receive priority preference; therefore, the most effective and economical utilization of dental therapists will be as salaried employees in school-based programs, beginning in underserved rural areas and inner cities.

Keywords: article; child; dental procedure; economics; health care delivery; health care disparity; human; methodology; organization and management; school health service; social justice; United States; vulnerable population, Alaska; Child; Dental Care for Children; Health Services Accessibility; Healthcare Disparities; Humans; Minnesota; School Health Services; Social Justice; United States; Vulnerable Populations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2014.301895_8

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.301895

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