"The Kellog Foundation has found that in five villages studied, dental therapists are doing a competent job of sealing, filling and pulling teeth and easing pain for Bush Alaskans.

If that's the case, then the dental therapists are doing exactly what they've been trained to do, and Alaskans who live far from a dentist's office have better access to basic, skilled care without the expense of flying to village hubs or urban centers.

Some dentists and dental organizations -- including the Alaska Dental Society -- oppose the therapists doing any surgery, including tooth extraction. They warn of potential harm to a patient should a therapist encounter complications they're not trained to handle.

That's a risk in the program, but one that's been well-managed since the first dental therapists were deployed in 2006.

Dental therapists are not required to have college degrees. They undergo two years of training and at least three months of apprenticeship with a dentist. While they may practice on their own, they remain under the supervision of a licensed dentist.

Dentists have college degrees and must graduate from dental schools.

From the standpoint of public dental health, the issue is simple. Do dental therapists provide good, basic dental care in villages? Do patients get competent treatment? Are teeth properly filled? Pain eased?"

Get the Story:
Our view: Dental therapists (The Anchorage Daily News 11/5)

Related Stories:
Dentist groups still oppose the use of therapists in Native villages (11/2)
Study cites benefits in dental health for Alaska Native villages (10/27)