Allied Health Professional Model
Allied health professionals support rural oral health programs by providing oral healthcare services, including:
- Education
- Referral
- Screening
- Support services
According to the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions,
“Allied Health professionals are involved with the delivery of health or related services pertaining to the identification, evaluation and prevention of diseases and disorders;”
Allied health professionals include:
- Dental hygienists
- Dental assistants
- Health educators
- Dental laboratory technicians
Some states have proposed the creation of a new allied health professional training program for mid-level dental providers called dental therapists to perform certain procedures. Dental therapists have practiced in the United States and other countries such as New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, and Thailand. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium introduced dental therapists to care for Alaska Natives in tribal villages in 2005. In 2009, Minnesota authorized the training and practice of dental therapists.
Implementation considerations
Allied health professionals may support school-based programs (see School Based Model), mobile dental services programs (see Mobile Dental Services Model), dental clinic programs (see Dental Clinic Model), and dental home programs (see Dental Home Model).
Resources to Learn More
American Dental Assistants Association
Website
This website provides information about the American Dental Assistants Association and the American Dental
Assistants Association Foundation.
American Dental Education Association
Website
ADEA is the premier association serving the dental education community. Dental education is a broad and
varied field that educates individuals as general dentists, specialists, dental hygienists, dental assistants,
and dental laboratory technicians.
American Dental Hygienists Association
Website
This website provides information about the American Dental Hygienists Association and other resources about
oral health.
The Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions
Website
This website provides information about the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions as well as links
to other relevant websites.
Breaking
Down Barriers to Oral Health for All Americans: The Community Dental Health Coordinator
Document
Describes a pilot program by the American Dental Association to create Community Dental Health Coordinators.
This is a new type of community health worker trained in disease prevention, patient education, and patient
navigation for underserved locations.
Organization(s): American Dental Association
Date: 10/2012
Dental
Therapists: Background and Updates on Implementation
Website
Information and documents related to dental therapist licensure.
Organization(s): Minnesota Board of Dentistry
A
Review of the Global Literature on Dental Therapists
Document
Reviews the different ways that countries around the world use dental therapists in the oral health
workforce.
Author(s): Nash, D., Friedman, J., & Mathu-Muju, K.
Organization(s): W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Date: 4/2012