Michigan has licensed its first dental therapist, a provider trained to deliver routine dental care under a dentist’s supervision, as state agencies work to expand access to care and address workforce shortages.
According to a Jan. 8 news release from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, the dental therapist is practicing in the Upper Peninsula.
Dental therapists provide routine services including exams, cleanings and fillings under a dentist’s supervision, with training described as faster and more affordable than traditional dental school — three to six years compared to eight years.
“Strengthening the state’s dental workforce is an important focus for the department,” MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel said. “Licensing Michigan’s first dental therapist is an important step in expanding access to care in underserved areas where there are limited providers.”
The newly licensed dental therapist, Dana Obey, said being the first in Michigan offers an opportunity to demonstrate the profession’s impact in underserved communities.
“I am proud to be the first dental therapist in Michigan because I have the opportunity every single day to show others how rewarding this career can be and the powerful impact a dental therapist can have on improving access to oral health care in underserved communities,” Obey said. “I hope my journey inspires others to join this profession.”
Dental therapists can practice in traditional private offices and in settings such as schools, mobile clinics and community health centers, according to the release.
The profession has existed globally for more than 100 years and is authorized in at least 14 states.
The release said Michigan has 59.1 dentists per 100,000 people but dentists are not equally distributed throughout the state or representative of the populations they serve.
More than 1.5 million residents live in federally designated dental shortage areas with limited access to care, including children and seniors, low-income families, pregnant women, people with disabilities and rural residents.
Michigan established a licensure pathway for dental therapists in 2021, but no dental therapy programs are currently offered in the state, the release said. Michigan students have pursued education in other states with the intention of returning to serve Michigan communities. The release said only five dental therapy programs exist nationally.
Ferris State University is developing Michigan’s first dental therapy program, targeted to launch in the next couple years, according to the release.
MDHHS is assisting with program development through a federal Health Resources and Services Administration oral health workforce grant, including $85,000 to help the university hire a consultant to assist with curriculum design and accreditation through the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
“The development of a Michigan dental therapy program is another way our state is working to ensure Michigan families can easily access care as oral health plays a critical role in overall health and well-being,” Hertel said.