How Dental Therapists Can Address the Social and Racial Disparities in Access to Care

Abstract

The author discusses the use of dental therapy in an effort to address racial and social disparities in oral health. Topics include the shortage of dental providers needed to meet the demand of the general U.S. population, the ability of dental therapist to deliver patient-centered care at lower costs than dentists and improve oral health outcomes, and the ability for dental therapists to improve communication, trust and patient satisfaction with the public.