Say ah: Minnesota preps 1st class of dental therapists in effort to improve access to care
By Chris Williams, APSaturday, December 26, 2009
Say ah: Minn. preps 1st class of dental therapists
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota has started a program to train people to be dental therapists in an effort to improve access to care.
Dental therapists will do some simple procedures that are currently done by dentists, such as drilling cavities. Dentists will supervise them and still do the most complex procedures.
Dental therapists are common in Canada, Great Britain and 50 other countries, but Minnesota is the first U.S. state to license them widely.
In Minnesota, as in many other states, people in rural areas, urban cores and those with subsidized government insurance have trouble finding dentists who will treat them.
The first class of would-be dental therapists has wrapped up its first semester. The students will graduate in 2011.
|
May 11, 2010: 3:02 am
This is a good idea; I think that the best way to assist people in practicing good oral hygiene is to let them know that dental care is easily accessible to them. |
|
April 27, 2010: 1:56 am
I think being a dentist is one of the most important profession there is which people fail to recognize. Oral health affects our overall health, and dentists help to us in every way they can to achieve good health. |
DDS Orange