Expanding Oral Health Access with Dental Therapists

Work with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Millions of Americans do not have access to dental care. Dental therapists—midlevel dental providers who work with dentists as nurse practitioners work with physicians—can help by providing care to people in rural and underserved communities. As the dental therapist movement has grown, Burness has been instrumental building support for them by explaining their unique role and describing how they will expand dental care to millions of people who go without it.  

We created a series of graphics that show what dental therapists do, how they expand the reach of dentists and how they work in remote areas that would otherwise go unserved. Other visuals we developed celebrate Tribal leadership in Alaska, the first state to deploy dental therapists; illustrate the need for dental therapists in Vermont as a grassroots coalition advocated for dental therapy in their state; show growing momentum for dental therapists; and depict the need for better access to dental care.

These images have been used to educate state policymakers and advocates, to advance the conversation on social media and to educate people on a proven, community-focused approach to solving our nation’s oral health crisis.