dental therapist

A dental therapist is a member of the dental team who provides preventive and restorative dental care for children and adults. The precise role varies and is dependent on the therapist's education and the various dental regulations and guidelines of each country. More than 50 countries allow dental therapists to provide some dental services. In the United States, dental therapists are allowed to operate in 13 states. The American Dental Association, the largest professional association of dentists in the United States, has lobbied against allowing dental therapists to practice while the Federal Trade Commission has advocated that more dental therapists would enable greater access to oral care and strengthen competition in dental services. Research shows that dental therapists provide great...