Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Dental workforce

Impact of a Community Dental Access Program on Emergency Dental Admissions in Rural Maryland
Describes the expansion of a rural Maryland community dental access program (CDP) that serves uninsured and underinsured low-income residents following a funding increase from the Health Resources and Services Administration's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy in 2012. Tracks claims data between 2011–2015, comparing CDP claim rates to Medicaid-funded visits to local emergency departments for non-traumatic dental needs, estimating cost savings from the expanded CDP.
Author(s): Sandi Rowland, Jonathan P. Leider, Clare Davidson, Joanne Brady, Alana Knudson
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 106(12), 2165-2170
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
view details
Innovations in Rural Health System Development: Recruiting and Retaining Maine's Health Care Workforce
Illustrates examples of rural-focused medical education programs to support an adequate supply of physicians in rural Maine. Also, discusses behavioral and oral health workforce development, and promising programs utilizing other types of healthcare workers such as community paramedics and community health workers (CHWs) to increase the availability and accessibility of healthcare in rural Maine and in other rural regions of the U.S.
Author(s): Amanda Burgess, Andrew F. Coburn
Date: 11/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Maine Health Access Foundation, Maine Rural Health Research Center
view details
States Expand the Use of Dental Therapy: Access to Care Increases When Dentists Are Authorized to Hire Midlevel Providers
Presents a state-by-state guide to dental therapist legislation and policies. Summarizes the dental therapist model and details policy updates regularly.
Author(s): Jane Koppelman
Date: 09/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Pew Charitable Trusts
view details
Changes in Dentist Retirement, Relocation, and Net Inflow of Dentist Supply in Iowa, 1997-2014: Fifth Brief in a Series
Analyzes the population of dentists in and out of Iowa's dental workforce from 1997 to 2014 with a focus on voluntary retirement and relocation out of Iowa. Provides data describing several characteristics of the dental workforce, including their retirement age, where they received training, type of practice, and if they practiced in a rural location.
Author(s): Julie C. Reynolds, Susan C. McKernan, Raymond A. Kuthy, Nyla Balakrishnan
Date: 06/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Iowa Public Policy Center
view details
Oral Health Care in North Dakota Long Term Care Facilities
Provides data on oral health in long-term care (LTC) facilities in North Dakota. Compares rural and urban variation in oral health policies regarding services and staff training. Includes recommendations to encourage LTC facilities to strengthen relationships with oral health providers and improve access to oral health for their residents.
Author(s): Shawnda Schroeder
Date: 06/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health
view details
Dental Workforce in Rural and Urban North Dakota
Highlights the issues surrounding access to and utilization of oral healthcare in rural and urban North Dakota with a focus on dental workforce.
Author(s): Shawnda Schroeder
Date: 06/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health
view details
Dental Therapy Toolkit: Summary of Dental Therapy Regulatory and Payment Processes
Reviews the payment and regulatory processes for dental therapists in Minnesota. Covers the following aspects related to practicing dental therapy: education and examination requirements, supervision, clinical experiences, practice settings, scope of practice, and more. Offers guidance on payment and billing procedures for Minnesota's Medical Assistance program for care delivered by dental therapists.
Date: 03/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
view details
Guiding Innovations to Improve the Oral Health of Adult Medicaid Beneficiaries
Highlights several innovative ideas for providing oral healthcare to Medicaid-enrolled adults by discussing consumer outreach and engagement, workforce and training, access and delivery in rural and urban areas, and return on investment and business models.
Author(s): Stacey Chazin
Date: 01/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
view details
Variation in Dental Hygiene Scope of Practice by State
Presents a state-by-state breakdown of allowable tasks to be performed by dental hygienists. Data presented in an infographic detailing the scope of practice in each state.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 2016
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: Oral Health Workforce Research Center
view details
A Profile of Oral Health Providers in New York State
Results of a study examining the dentist and dental hygienist workforce in New York, using U.S. Census Bureau data from 2009-2013. Features statistics with breakdowns by sex, race or ethnicity, age group, and rural or urban location.
Author(s): Tracey Continelli, Cassondra Bruce, Erin Roberts, Robert Martiniano
Date: 11/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
view details