Dental Therapist Project (DTP)

The Dental Therapist Project (DTP) seeks to improve the oral health of underserved children and families by establishing dental therapist providers as standard members of the dental health team in the United States.

Under DTP:

• Dental therapists receive two years of intensive training, which allow them to provide preventive oral health care and commonly needed services such as fillings and uncomplicated extractions.
• Dental therapists work under the general supervision of an off-site dentist, who pre-approves the procedures they perform and reviews their work via phone, fax, and the Internet.

To raise awareness of the value of dental therapists, DTP will partner with communities in Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Vermont, and Washington. Target populations will be underserved children and families living in rural communities, inner cities, and communities of color.