History of Dental Therapy in the United States
1920
Dental therapy model developed in New Zealand
1960
The Community Health Aide Program (CHAP), which includes dental therapists in its scope, is established in Alaska
2000
The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) develops infrastructure for dental therapists within the CHAP program as Dental Health Aide Therapists (DHATs)
2004
Dental therapists begin practicing in Alaska Native communities
2007
ANTHC/The University of Washington MEDEX NW welcome the first class of students into a two calendar year dental therapy program based in Alaska
2009
Minnesota becomes first state to authorize dental therapy statewide
2009
University of Minnesota launches pioneering dental therapy education program
2013
The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) develops first dental therapy accreditation standards
2014
Maine passes dental therapy legislation
2015
CODA approves dental therapy accreditation standards
2015
Swinomish Tribal Community hires first dental therapist in Washington under tribal sovereignty
2015
Oregon Pilot Project #100 Approved
2016
Vermont passes dental therapy into law
2017
Washington State authorizes dental therapy in Tribal settings
2018
Arizona and Michigan enact dental therapy laws
2019
Idaho, Connecticut, Nevada, and New Mexico authorize dental therapy
2020
Maine finalizes licensure rules
2020
Iḷisaġvik College (Utqiaġvik, AK) becomes the first U.S. CODA-accredited dental therapy program
2020
Oregon Pilot Project #300 launches through Willamette Dental Group and Pacific University
2022
Skagit Valley College (Mount Vernon, WA) receives initial CODA accreditation
2022
Oregon begins licensing dental therapists
2023
University of Minnesota becomes CODA accredited
2023
Washington State expands dental therapy to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and look-alikes
2024
Wisconsin authorizes dental therapy
2025
Skagit Valley College/Swinomish celebrate first graduating class
2026
Northcentral Technical College (Wausau, WI) becomes CODA accredited
2026
Pacific University (Hillsboro, OR) becomes CODA accredited
As of 2026, dental therapy is authorized in 14 states in at least some settings.