American Dental Therapy Association

More than 56 million people live in areas of the United States with dentist shortages. People living in rural areas, Tribal citizens, low-income families, the uninsured, communities of color, people with disabilities, and certain age groups encounter the greatest barriers to receiving dental care.¹.

1. The American Dental Therapy Association (ADTA) advocates for dental therapy as an education/career path and supports the educational advancement and development of educational institutions to train dental therapists (DT) and dental health aide therapists (DHATs) (collectively referred to as “dental therapists” or DT/DHATs).

2. ADTA advances public awareness, evidence-based and anecdotal success stories through quarterly social media campaigns and presentations.

3. ADTA promotes learning opportunities for DT/DHATs, allied oral health providers and the public. 

4. ADTA builds a national membership organization of DT/DHATs to end oral health disparities among 56 million people in the U.S.

What are dental therapists?  Dental therapists are mid-level providers, similar to physician assistants in medicine. Dentists hire and supervise dental therapists to expand quality care to more patients, grow their practices, and provide treatment to underserved at-risk populations. They can work in traditional dental offices and clinics, or in community settings, such as schools or nursing homes. Dental therapists provide preventive and routine restorative care, including filling cavities, placing temporary crowns, and extracting badly diseased or loose teeth.