With all published research supporting dental therapy as a safe, effective way to increase access to quality dental care, more news organizations are questioning why organized dentistry is pushing back.
NPR recently ran a 3-minute news story and a 9-minute podcast about dental therapy. Both are absolutely worth a listen and feature Dr. Jane Grover- spokesperson for the American Dental Association- attempts to defend organized dentistry’s push back against dental therapy.
“The comments of Dr. Jane Grover are confusing at best,” said Dr. Frank Catalanotto, founder of Floridians for Dental Access. “The current rate of dental school graduates does not match – and will never match – the enormous growing need for new dental healthcare providers nationwide and especially in Florida.”
Florida leads the nation in the number of individuals (over 7.1 million) living in Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Dr. Catalanotto added, “Dental therapists have lower tuition costs, so they graduate with smaller debt. In addition, dental therapists provide dental practices with significant overhead savings, which allows for improved access to quality dental care — particularly in low-income and otherwise under-served populations. Dental therapists are exactly what Florida needs to address the dental professional shortage areas.”