Legislators in North Carolina are acutely aware that health care is hard to come by in rural areas of the state, which is why the committee on Access to Healthcare in Rural North Carolina held its first meeting earlier this week to take on the issue. Experts and advocates who were brought in also made some solid suggestions, such as expanding telemedicine and opening more residency slots in rural hospitals.
Another effective solution that ought to be considered is for lawmakers to pass policies that aim to increase the supply of midlevel health care providers.
Let’s look to the dental therapist profession as an example. Dental therapists work under dentists, much like physician assistants and nurse practitioners work in a collaborative agreement with physicians. Within their scope of training, they can provide many routine dental services, such as filling cavities and tooth extractions.
While dental therapy is more established in 50 other countries, it’s only beginning to emerge in the U.S. Just three states – Vermont, Maine, and Minnesota – authorize dentists to hire dental therapists. Other states are actively exploring the idea. Yet global evidence on the profession has shown that dental therapists play an important role in improving access to health care, particularly in rural areas.
For one Minnesota dentist, employing a dental therapist benefits not only his practice, but also underserved communities. Here’s what he has to say:
For more information on dental therapists, check out the Pew Charitable Trusts website here.
