Dental therapy is a workforce model that introduces mid-level practitioners—dental therapists—with both preventive and restorative skills. The introduction of dental therapists appears to improve access to and equity in dental service delivery in the US. The Oral Health Workforce Research Center conducted a study that evaluated the satisfaction of clinical providers, organizational administrators, and patients with the dental therapy workforce at Apple Tree Dental in Minnesota, the first US state to authorize dental therapy practice statewide.
This report describes the results from 2 surveys on the dental therapy workforce at Apple Tree Dental’s centers and programs: 1) clinician and administration satisfaction and 2) patient satisfaction with their clinical providers, making comparisons across provider type.
Citation: Langelier M, Surdu S, O’Malley E. Provider and Patient Satisfaction With the Dental Therapy Workforce at Apple Tree Dental. Rensselaer, NY: Oral Health Workforce Research Center, Center for Health Workforce Studies, School of Public Health, SUNY Albany; May 2022.