From the Blog

On Thursday, December 1, the House Health and Wellness Committee held a work session on dental therapy, featuring dental professionals, patients, and Tribal members.  We were grateful to be able to work with the participants and help them tell legislators how this innovative practice could help all Washingtonians get the dental care they need.

On August 25, the Washington State Dental Therapy Task Force gathered to examine the current practice of dental therapy on Tribal lands. Task force members heard from a range of speakers including researchers, practitioners, and Tribal members.

We were excited to see our lawmakers take a step towards oral health equity this past legislative session by establishing a Dental Therapy Task Force. Composed of dental professionals, health care providers, tribal representatives, and community members, the task force will come together to study how dental therapists can expand access to oral health care in more underserved communities.

As their work has grown over the past two decades, first in Alaska, then Minnesota, as a pilot in Oregon, and now in six Native American tribal communities in Washington, dental therapists have seen how they touch the lives of the people they serve. Here’s what they say about their work.

Great news! On August 6th, the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) granted accreditation to the dental therapy program at Iḷisaġvik College in Utqiaġvik, Alaska. This is the first time CODA has accredited a dental therapy education program.