D E N T A L THERAPY FILLS A NEED IN RURAL AREAS

By Molly Milroy

For many people, going to the dentist is part of a lifelong routine of self-care, oral health and hygiene. Visiting the dentist usually means a dental hygienist cleans your teeth and takes X-rays before your dentist assesses your oral health, reviews your hygienist’s notes and discusses any concerns you have about your teeth to determine whether a follow-up treatment plan is necessary.

But this isn’t everyone’s experience. Depending on health care coverage available and geographic location or economic status, some people may not have access to dental care they need.

That’s where dental therapy comes in.

What is dental therapy?

Dental therapy offers care in rural communities and areas with a shortage of dental health professionals. While dental therapy has existed for decades globally, it’s newer to the United States, beginning within American Indigenous and Alaskan Native communities.

Not limited to Alaska, Minnesota also has dental therapists.

“Dental therapy really exists to serve underserved areas,” said Meaghan Morrell-Huot, D.D.S. at Lake Superior Dental, “and therapists tend to be found in community health centers or where folks are more likely to be underinsured or use medical assistance.”

Annie Adams, a dental therapist and recent graduate of the dental therapy program at the University of Minnesota, said, “In 2009 dental therapy was established in Minnesota and it’s the first state to license dental therapists.”

Training to become a dental therapist in Minnesota is extensive, requiring a bachelor’s degree in hygiene and a master’s degree in dental therapy. The dental therapy program takes five years to complete: two years of undergraduate coursework and three years of specific training. A doctor of dentistry requires eight years. A shortened program means dental therapists are available sooner to help dental practices serve communities who need more help.

Dentistry professionals at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry have been working for years to streamline the training and certification process across states and ensure accountability.

What does a dental therapist do?

A dental therapist is a mid-level role, a similar relationship to a dentist as a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner has

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In addition to general dental hygienist responsibilities, they also fill cavities, apply fluoride protection and take X-rays. When a patient calls the office with a toothache, scheduling treatment with their dentist might take awhile. A dental therapist can emergency triage patients’ concerns and arrange a treatment plan.

While only a dentist could perform a root canal, for instance, a dental therapist can assess the patient, take X-rays and even perform some of the checks a dentist would do before scheduling them with a dentist.

Dental therapists function under their dentist’s supervision for all patient treatments, but with more experience they can become advanced dental therapists. This broadens the scope of dental therapists further, requiring only indirect supervision and freeing the dentist’s schedule for more complex procedures.

“To be an advanced therapist, certification requires 2,000 hours of experience and an oral presentation of patient cases,” Adams said.

Adams recently moved to Duluth to practice dental therapy. Hygienists came to her school to talk about their profession, so since fourth grade, Adams knew she wanted to be in a dental role.

Once she completed some undergraduate study, Adams learned more about what a career in dentistry could be and decided to pursue dental therapy. With the range of tasks and responsibilities of a dental therapist wider than a hygienist, but narrower than a dentist, this appealed to her.

Adams works with the Cloquet, Duluth, and Hermantown locations of Lake Superior Dental, scheduling hygienist and dental therapy appointments, and has availability for triage and emergency patients as needed.

Benefits of a dental therapist

Melanie Meier, D.D.S. at Lake Superior Dental, has 38 years in dentistry: first as an assistant dentist in her childhood office and the last 25 years as a dentist.

Breaking her front tooth when she was 9 years old meant frequent trips to the dentist office for treatment, so she relates to her young patients. Building a positive relationship with her dentist during those formative years led her to her current profession.

Having seen a wide spectrum of patients, Meier said, “Dentistry needs have not gone away in 38 years.”

Meier continues to observe the role of dentistry as it remains a crucial aspect of health care.

“Proper dental care is crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle,” Meier said.

Time-consuming procedures like fitting crowns, bridges or implants fills dentists’ schedules, so filling cavities, doing tooth extractions, and other less-complex issues might mean waiting weeks for an appointment.

Because of this, the addition of a dental therapist on the team has been significant. If a patient’s complaint is a task within her remit, a dental therapist has freedom in her schedule for less time-consuming procedures, allowing dentists to function at their highest scope of ability.

Meier and her fellow dentists can now ensure their patients feel cared for, allowing for often several hours for an individual’s needs, enabling their mission to put patients first.

While it’s a newer concept, dental therapy, Meier said, “has exceeded any expectations.”

Development of dental therapy

Meaghan Morrell-Huot, D.D.S., has practiced dentistry for 11 years. Interested in dentistry and public health, her childhood dentist encouraged her to become a dentist.

Like her own childhood experience, Morrell-Huot loves being a dentist who develops personal relationships with patients and their families.

“It’s especially fun watching kids grow up,” she said.

As a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, her program director was instrumental in implementing dental therapy and she’s watched it develop throughout her career.

“I’m happy to see how it’s come into play,” she said, because of how many people dental therapy will help.

Dental therapy is the “best way to serve the community,” said Morrell-Huot.

If someone is interested in a career in dental therapy, they can contact the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, Minnesota Board of Dentistry, or the Minnesota Dental Therapy Association for more information. D Molly Ovenden is a Duluth freelance writer.