title: Oral health care for children in countries using dental therapists in public, school-based programs, contrasted with that of the United States, using dentists in a private practice model.
abstract: The United States faces a significant problem with access to oral health care, particularly for children. More than 50 countries have developed an alternative dental provider, a dental therapist, practicing in public, school-based programs, to address children's access to care. This delivery model has been demonstrated to improve access to care and oral health outcomes while providing quality care economically. We summarize elements of a recent major review of the global literature on the use of dental therapists, "A Review of the Global Literature on Dental Therapists: In the Context of the Movement to Add Dental Therapists to the Oral Health Workforce in the United States." We contrast the success of a school-based model of caring for children by dental therapists with that of the US model of dentists providing care for children in private practices.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, 2199 Wesbrook Mall, University of British Columbia,Vancouver,British ColumbiaV6T 1Z3, Canada. kmmuju@dentistry.ubc.ca
authors.forename: Kavita R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Mathu-Muju
authors.forename: Jay W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Nash
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D003800:Dental Technicians / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003815:Dentists / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D009520:New Zealand; D009909:Oral Health; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012571:School Dentistry / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012846:Singapore; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce