Improved access to care or lowered standard of care?

Health disparities abound in every profession, dentistry included. The most recent attempt to solve dental disparities that has been brought to light is the idea of training dental therapists in order to expand the dental workforce. While dental therapists have been around since the 1970s, only recently has the issue of allowing them to practice in the continental US been so forcefully raised and questioned. With the new healthcare act that will provide access to millions more starting in 2014, these disparities are getting much harder to ignore. We as healthcare professionals have a duty to strive to improve access to quality care and we will not know what quality of care is being provided until these therapists prove (or disprove) themselves. However, we must remember that all three populations - patients, therapists and dentists - must be heard, respected and protected as we navigate this new road to collaboration.