Ohio could use dental therapists

In the Sunday Dispatch article “Providers tackling shortage of doctors,” a shortage of primary-care physicians in Ohio hospitals is being addressed by filling the gaps with nurse practitioners and physician assistants. The health-care field has known for years that using auxiliary professionals is an effective way to expand health care. It is time for the dental field to come to the same conclusion.

Ohio has 88 dental health professional shortage areas where there are too few dentists to meet the communities’ needs. Over 300,000 Ohio children have never seen a dentist. One way to fill the coverage gap is by bring dental therapists to Ohio, a proven mid-level provider that can expand the reach of the dentist-led team. Dental therapists are rigorously trained to provide high quality care in a limited number of treatment services like filling cavities.

Allowing therapists to work for dentists would address the significant shortage of oral health professionals in the poor access areas.

On March 14, state Sens. Peggy Lehner, R-Montgomery, and Cecil Thomas, D-Hamilton, introduced Senate Bill 98, legislation that would allow dental therapists to practice in Ohio’s underserved communities. Other states have already passed bills to allow therapists to address this oral health care gap.

William Hitt, D.D.S. Westerville