For Clinics & Employers

There are several successful models. To learn more, consider taking this short course on how to optimize your dental team with dental therapists! It will help you become more familiar with the role of dental therapists (on a statewide level) and the benefits they bring to patient care and the community. Reach out to our team if you would like to be connected to a dental therapist to learn more. 

Dental therapists are supervised by dentists.

Dental therapists complete rigorous, competency-based education and clinical training programs that prepare them to provide safe, high-quality preventive and routine restorative care as part of a team-based model.

Today, many dental therapy education programs are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), which sets national standards for curriculum, clinical training, and educational outcomes. These programs include both classroom instruction and extensive supervised clinical experience. The existing dental therapy workforce includes many highly experienced professionals who were educated within dental therapy education in programs developed before CODA accreditation was developed. 

The American Dental Therapy Association believes that equity should be at the center of dental therapy education and training. An equity-centered workforce recognizes that:

• Accreditation is one pathway to standardization, but not the only measure of quality or competence
  
• Early education programs helped build the evidence base showing that dental therapists provide safe, effective care
  
• Clinical outcomes, community impact, and demonstrated competency are essential indicators of qualification

After confirming that dental therapy is authorized in your state or Tribal area, understand the applicable supervision and credentialing requirements for your setting by reviewing your state's dental therapy legislation. Employers can find candidates by posting open positions through the ADTA Job Board , connecting with dental therapy education programs, and networking within the profession by attending events like the ADTA Annual Conference.

Please reach out to the ADTA at any time for support at info@americandentaltherapyassociation.org.

The ADTA is working with CareQuest Institute for Oral Health and dental therapy community members to establish a National Compensation Survey Data Report. More to come soon.

Dental therapy is authorized in a growing number of states across the U.S., with each state establishing its own laws and guidelines for practice. 

As of April 2026, dental therapy is authorized in: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin.

Check this PDF for the differences between the state authorizations of dental therapy. 

Join the dental therapy community! 

1. Become a member of the ADTA [link] and stay connected with the community through webinars, events, and other engagement opportunities. 
2. Endorse dental therapy to get your name out there.
3. Attend the ADTA Annual Conference

Feel free to reach out to us at info@americandentaltherapyassociation.org and we can connect you with education programs to reach dental therapy graduates for new recruitments. 

Visit our “Evidence & Research” page to learn the facts about dental therapy. The National Partnership for Dental Therapy offers many resources regarding dental therapy. To visit their resource webpage, click here.