Legal scope of practice for dental hygienists differs by state. Research suggests that broader scope of practice laws at the state level can improve oral health outcomes. This infographic, an update from when it was last updated in 2019, illustrates allowable tasks for dental hygienists by each state in the United States, to help planners…
Recent changes in dental workforce models, driven by rising demand for oral health services, have sparked discussions about the need for innovation and greater efficiency in the United States’ oral health care delivery system. Legislative action enabling new workforce models and expanding scopes of practice for the existing dental workforce has facilitated team-based approaches to…
Legal scope of practice (SOP), based on state-specific practice acts, defines what services a health professional is allowed to provide and under what conditions in a given state. This webinar considers state-to-state variability in dental hygiene (DH) SOP. The presenter describes the use of the Dental Hygiene Professional Practice Index to quantify SOP and highlight…
Dental therapists (DTs) are primary dental care practitioners that have been deployed in many countries around the world. There is increasingly strong evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of DTs, including their ability to promote community-based services and enhance oral health equity. Following the approval of education standards by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)…
Between February and July 2015 researchers at the Oral Health Workforce Research Center (OHWRC) completed case studies at 8 FQHCs headquartered or operating satellite clinics in 9 states. This report explores the barriers and facilitators to integration of oral health services with primary health care delivery in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) across the United…
Individuals living in long-term care (LTC) facilities or receiving in-home care (IHC), are significantly more likely to have poorer oral health status compared to individuals living independently. Despite this increased risk, provision of dental services in LTC settings is limited. As the Baby Boomer Generation ages into LTC, the number of individuals requiring dental care…
While Medicaid dental coverage for children is relatively consistent across the 50 states, dental beneļ¬ts for Medicaid-enrolled adults vary signiļ¬cantly from state to state. As a result of the recent economic recession, many states have moved to limit Medicaid expenditures for dental care. As of 2012, 22 states, including Oklahoma, either oļ¬er no adult dental…
Dental assistants (DAs) are important members of the oral health workforce team and perform a variety of clinical and administrative tasks. However, requirements for entry into the workforce, allowable tasks, and supervision vary by state. This report examines the dental assistant workforce to better understand roles, functions, and contributions to improving population oral health.ArrayReport Arrayhttps://www.oralhealthworkforce.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Dental_Assistant_Workforce_2015.pdfOctober…
The Center for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS) developed a numerical scope of practice index for the dental hygiene profession called the 2001 Dental Hygiene Professional Practice Index (DHPPI) under a contract with the the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Scope of practice for dental hygienists has…
Despite initiatives at the local, state, and federal levels, the underrepresentation of Blacks, Hispanic/Latinos (H/L), and American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) among dentists persists. Improving workforce diversity promotes social justice and also increases access, health equity, and health care quality, particularly for minority populations. This article quantifies the shortage of underrepresented minority (URM) dentists and their…
