Journal article
Secular trends in dental services provided by dental therapists and dentists in Southwest Alaska
The Journal of the American Dental Association : JADA, Vol.153(12), pp.1145-1153
10/11/2022
DOI: 10.1016/j.adaj.2022.08.012
Abstract
BACKGROUND The goal of the study was to identify secular trends in dental service delivery between dental therapists and dentists in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region of Southwest Alaska, the first area of the United States to authorize dental therapy practice. METHODS Electronic health record transactions from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation from 2006 through 2015 (n = 27,459) were analyzed. Five types of dental services were identified using Current Dental Terminology procedure codes: diagnostic, preventive, restorative, endodontic, and oral surgery. Main outcomes were percentages of services provided by dental therapists compared with dentists and population-level preventive oral health care. RESULTS The overall number of diagnostic, preventive, and restorative services in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta increased. For diagnostic services, there was a 3.5% annual decrease observed for dentists and a 4.1% annual increase for dental therapists (P < .001). Similar trends were observed for restorative services. For preventive services, there was no change for dentists (P = .89) and a 4.8% annual increase for dental therapists (P < .001). Dental therapists were more likely than dentists to provide preventive care at the population level. CONCLUSIONS Dental therapists have made substantial contributions to the delivery of dental services in Alaska Native communities, particularly for population-based preventive care. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS The study's findings indicate that there is a role for dental therapy practice in addressing poor access to oral health care in underserved communities.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Secular trends in dental services provided by dental therapists and dentists in Southwest Alaska
- Creators
- Courtney M HillEllen W MacLachlanLloyd A ManclDane LenakerDonald L Chi
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Journal of the American Dental Association : JADA, Vol.153(12), pp.1145-1153
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.adaj.2022.08.012
- ISSN
- 0002-8177
- eISSN
- 1943-4723
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100006296, name: Center for Advanced Study, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; DOI: 10.13039/100000072, name: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, award: K08DE020856; DOI: 10.13039/100013937, name: Rasmuson Foundation; DOI: 10.13039/100000875, name: Pew Charitable Trusts; DOI: 10.13039/100000002, name: National Institutes of Health; DOI: 10.13039/100005492, name: Stanford University
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/11/2022
- Academic Unit
- Public Policy Center (Archive)
- Record Identifier
- 9984306234002771
Metrics
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