The Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine, a federal advisory committee, released a report that researched the benefits of dental therapy on the oral healthcare of underserved communities.
The committee is urging Congress and HHS to increase funding for dental therapy training programs and create scholarship and loan repayment programs to help those entering the profession, according to an Aug. 3 news release shared with Becker’s.
Dental therapists currently are authorized to operate in only 13 states, leaving many communities unable to access care, the release said.