Alaska Dental Health Aide Program
Background. In 1999, An Oral Health Survey of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Dental Patients found that 79% of 2- to 5-year-olds had a history of tooth decay. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in collaboration with Alaska’s Tribal Health Organizations (THO) developed a...
Published in: | International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
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2013
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.21198 https://doaj.org/article/57635a47d6c349889653ba2bae801704 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:57635a47d6c349889653ba2bae801704 2023-05-15T15:08:04+02:00 Alaska Dental Health Aide Program Sarah Shoffstall-Cone Mary Williard 2013-08-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.21198 https://doaj.org/article/57635a47d6c349889653ba2bae801704 EN eng Taylor & Francis Group http://www.circumpolarhealthjournal.net/index.php/ijch/article/download/21198/pdf_1 https://doaj.org/toc/2242-3982 doi:10.3402/ijch.v72i0.21198 2242-3982 https://doaj.org/article/57635a47d6c349889653ba2bae801704 International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Vol 72, Iss 0, Pp 1-5 (2013) dental workforce dental mid-level providers dental therapist Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 article 2013 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.21198 2022-12-31T00:10:12Z Background. In 1999, An Oral Health Survey of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Dental Patients found that 79% of 2- to 5-year-olds had a history of tooth decay. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in collaboration with Alaska’s Tribal Health Organizations (THO) developed a new and diverse dental workforce model to address AI/AN oral health disparities. Objectives. This paper describes the workforce model and some experience to date of the Dental Health Aide (DHA) Initiative that was introduced under the federally sanctioned Community Health Aide Program in Alaska. These new dental team members work with THO dentists and hygienists to provide education, prevention and basic restorative services in a culturally appropriate manner. Results. The DHA Initiative introduced 4 new dental provider types to Alaska: the Primary Dental Health Aide, the Expanded Function Dental Health Aide, the Dental Health Aide Hygienist and the Dental Health Aide Therapist. The scope of practice between the 4 different DHA providers varies vastly along with the required training and education requirements. DHAs are certified, not licensed, providers. Recertification occurs every 2 years and requires the completion of 24 hours of continuing education and continual competency evaluation. Conclusions. Dental Health Aides provide evidence-based prevention programs and dental care that improve access to oral health care and help address well-documented oral health disparities. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Circumpolar Health International Journal of Circumpolar Health Alaska Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Indian International Journal of Circumpolar Health 72 1 21198 |
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Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
dental workforce dental mid-level providers dental therapist Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 |
spellingShingle |
dental workforce dental mid-level providers dental therapist Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Sarah Shoffstall-Cone Mary Williard Alaska Dental Health Aide Program |
topic_facet |
dental workforce dental mid-level providers dental therapist Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 |
description |
Background. In 1999, An Oral Health Survey of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Dental Patients found that 79% of 2- to 5-year-olds had a history of tooth decay. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in collaboration with Alaska’s Tribal Health Organizations (THO) developed a new and diverse dental workforce model to address AI/AN oral health disparities. Objectives. This paper describes the workforce model and some experience to date of the Dental Health Aide (DHA) Initiative that was introduced under the federally sanctioned Community Health Aide Program in Alaska. These new dental team members work with THO dentists and hygienists to provide education, prevention and basic restorative services in a culturally appropriate manner. Results. The DHA Initiative introduced 4 new dental provider types to Alaska: the Primary Dental Health Aide, the Expanded Function Dental Health Aide, the Dental Health Aide Hygienist and the Dental Health Aide Therapist. The scope of practice between the 4 different DHA providers varies vastly along with the required training and education requirements. DHAs are certified, not licensed, providers. Recertification occurs every 2 years and requires the completion of 24 hours of continuing education and continual competency evaluation. Conclusions. Dental Health Aides provide evidence-based prevention programs and dental care that improve access to oral health care and help address well-documented oral health disparities. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Sarah Shoffstall-Cone Mary Williard |
author_facet |
Sarah Shoffstall-Cone Mary Williard |
author_sort |
Sarah Shoffstall-Cone |
title |
Alaska Dental Health Aide Program |
title_short |
Alaska Dental Health Aide Program |
title_full |
Alaska Dental Health Aide Program |
title_fullStr |
Alaska Dental Health Aide Program |
title_full_unstemmed |
Alaska Dental Health Aide Program |
title_sort |
alaska dental health aide program |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.21198 https://doaj.org/article/57635a47d6c349889653ba2bae801704 |
geographic |
Arctic Indian |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Indian |
genre |
Arctic Circumpolar Health International Journal of Circumpolar Health Alaska |
genre_facet |
Arctic Circumpolar Health International Journal of Circumpolar Health Alaska |
op_source |
International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Vol 72, Iss 0, Pp 1-5 (2013) |
op_relation |
http://www.circumpolarhealthjournal.net/index.php/ijch/article/download/21198/pdf_1 https://doaj.org/toc/2242-3982 doi:10.3402/ijch.v72i0.21198 2242-3982 https://doaj.org/article/57635a47d6c349889653ba2bae801704 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.21198 |
container_title |
International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
container_volume |
72 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
21198 |
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1766339491723739136 |