More than 100 Organizations Endorse Dental Therapists
The National Partnership for Dental Therapy (NPDT) has announced the community-driven movement to improve access to dental care across the nation has grown to include more than 100 partners.
The National Partnership for Dental Therapy (NPDT) has announced the community-driven movement to improve access to dental care across the nation has grown to include more than 100 partners, including the National Congress of American Indians, MomsRising, the National Rural Health Association and The Pew Charitable Trust. This diverse list of supporters are united by their belief that dental therapy is an equity-focused, cost-effective means of addressing a lack of dental care for people across the United States.
Dental therapists are working or authorized in 12 states but access to these providers remains blocked for many communities due to restrictive laws backed by special interest groups. Dental therapy has long enjoyed bipartisan support, including from President Biden’s campaign and the Trump administration. With the pandemic making healthcare harder to access, the time is now to examine ways to lower costs, increase access to care and reduce the racial disparities in our healthcare system, states the NPDT.
“We could not be more proud to be part of a movement to bring a free market solution to the lack of access to dental care in our nation. Not only are dental therapists vital to the dental care teams in states where they operate, but it is a profession that creates jobs and grows small businesses. Every state should authorize dental therapists immediately to increase access to affordable dental health care, increase jobs, and grow small businesses,” said Sal Nuzzo, BS, vice president of policy for The James Madison Institute.
View the full list of supporters here.
