Vermont State Colleges is ending the development of its dental therapy program at Vermont State University in Montpelier, Vermont Business Magazine reported June 30.
The state authorized the practice of dental therapists in 2016 to help increase access to care in underserved areas. Vermont State University began developing the state’s first CODA-accredited dental therapy program, but it faced several financial and operational barriers. In addition to a lack of resources brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, some of the other roadblocks that prevented the launch of the program included accreditation costs, limited faculty availability and class size limits that made the program less cost-effective.
VSC Chancellor Elizabeth Mauch said the college system is committed to alleviating the state’s workforce shortages by investing in the university’s dental hygiene program instead.
The university plans to expand its hygiene program, recently securing $6.2 million in federal funding to double the program’s enrollment in 2027.
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