Alaska is allowing 2nd yr aids to perform procedures w/o supervsion of dentist due to dental crisis

[Liberal_in_LA]

A Solution to Rural Alaska's Dental Problems?

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She's one of four second year students in the Alaska Dental Health Aide Therapist Training Program. After spending their first year of training in Anchorage, the students practice at the clinic here, where children and adults come for basic and preventive dental care. Enrollment in the program requires a high school diploma and a letter of sponsorship from an Alaska Tribal Health Organization. After they complete the two year program, they'll go to small, rural villages like Toksook Bay

The sacrifice of being away from her family is worth it, according to Schuerch. She's seen what poor oral healthcare can do to people and made a decision to do something about it. Her main focus: preventing "dental caries," also known as tooth decay or a cavities. She's also trained to perform irreversible procedures, like extracting teeth and drilling cavities, without the direct supervision of a dentist.

The need for dental care in rural Alaska is huge. According to a recent CDC report, the rate of cavities among rural Alaska Native children is four and a half times greater than the general population of U.S. children of the same age.
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But it's important to note the dental therapist program in Alaska is not without controversy. When dental therapists began practicing in Alaska in 2005, the American Dental Association and the Alaska Dental Society filed a lawsuit against it. Their aim was to ensure patients do not receive substandard care, and argued that two years of training is not sufficient to perform irreversible surgical procedures.

The lawsuit was eventually dropped, but the ADA remains opposed to similar mid-level providers in the rest of the country.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/11/a-solution-to-alaskas-rural-dental-problems.htmlDent

[MADem]

1. Dental tourism is big business. Go to Brazil on holiday, get your teeth fixed! nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. most folks with teeth issues can't afford a trip to Brazil

[MADem]

3. I know some rich people with dental insurance who just hate the dentist.

I know others with no insurance who save and take a trip.

The cost of procedures is so much cheaper in other parts of the world. It's stunning how much of a difference in price you'll find.

A lot of people with lousy/no medical insurance go to India for procedures--the cost of the airfare and hotel factored in, it's still astoundingly less in many cases.

Scroll down at this link--check out the prices in El Salvador, for example. There aren't any Brazil prices on this link, but they're fairly competitive with good quality, from all reports I've heard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_tourism

[uppityperson]

4. Mexico border towns have a big dental industry from USAnians also.

If you want the name of a guy in Mexicali I've been to and recommend, let me know. $200 for crowns.

[demosincebirth]

5. 200 bucks... who's screwing who? Your friendly local dentist