The ADA’s authority on education confirms: Dental therapists are highly educated
Historic: On August 6th, the Dental Therapy Program at Iḷisaġvik College in Utqiaġvik, Alaska earned accreditation from the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)! This is the first time a dental therapy education program has earned CODA accreditation.
What is CODA?
The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) is the national authority on professional standards and education curriculum for the entire dental profession. This includes the entire dental care team of regular and pediatric dentists, hygienists, oral surgeons, orthodontists, and more. The Commission’s accreditation of the Alaska Dental Therapy Education program at Iḷisaġvik validates and solidifies dental therapists as an effective member of the dental care delivery team, showing this model can be replicated to the highest national standards anywhere in the country.
What does this mean for Washington?
In 2017, the Washington state Legislature passed SSB5079, authorizing dental therapy services on tribal lands for tribal members. The accreditation of Alaska’s program specifically supports key elements of a proposal to license dental therapists statewide in Washington by:
Prioritizing equitable pathways designed to enable members of underserved communities to become dental therapists.
An evidenced-based scope of practice that includes the most routine and preventive services needed by Washingtonians who have been without adequate care.
A competency-based education that allows for off-site supervision, extending the reach of dental care where it is needed most.
Furthermore, Mt. Vernon’s Skagit Valley College is currently seeking CODA accreditation for their dental therapy education program, which plans to begin instruction in 2021.
The Commission on Dental Accreditation’s (CODA) announcement confirms what we already know: dental therapists increase access to oral health care, are highly trained, and provide excellent care to patients.
This is a significant win for community-led workforce initiatives across all sectors. Communities want to be part of job creation and the solutions that improve the health and vitality of their home communities. Dental therapy does just that.
Dental therapists improve access to care and promote health equity.
Dental therapists are a proven way to address the access to care barriers that put underserved communities at a great disadvantage.
In Alaska alone, dental therapists have expanded oral health care to 40,000 people who didn’t have regular access before. And dental therapists aren’t just expanding access, they’re improving oral health outcomes.
The Washington Dental Access Campaign, a coalition of more than 40 organizations, continues its work to bring budget neutral, safe, effective, and affordable care provided by dental therapists to all Washingtonians.