Michigan Moves Closer to Launching Its First Dental Therapy Program
Ferris State University is advancing Michigan’s first dental therapy program, aiming to expand access to care while addressing workforce shortages.
Michigan is moving forward with the development of its first dental therapy program, an initiative designed to strengthen the oral health workforce and expand access to care in underserved communities.
Deborah Brown, DMD, MHA, will lead the development and launch of the program at Ferris State University in Big Rapids. Brown currently serves as chief executive officer of My Community Dental Centers, a nonprofit network that operates dental clinics across Michigan and provides care to Medicaid beneficiaries and uninsured patients.
The program will train dental therapists to deliver routine services such as exams, preventive care, and basic restorative procedures under the supervision of a dentist. Graduates may practice in private dental offices as well as community health centers, schools, and mobile clinics.
The effort comes as access challenges persist across the state. More than 1.5 million Michigan residents live in federally designated dental shortage areas where access to dental providers remains limited. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is supporting program development through a federal workforce grant that will help fund curriculum design and accreditation planning through the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Click here to read more.
