Senator Murkowski Advocates for Dental Health Aide Therapist Program

SENATOR MURKOWSKI ADVOCATES FOR DENTAL HEALTH AIDE THERAPIST PROGRAM

PROGRAM CAN HELP MEET VITAL HEALTH NEEDS IN RURAL ALASKA

Today, during the Indian Affairs Committee hearing on the reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Sen. Lisa Murkowski advocated for the continuation of the Dental Health Aide Therapist Program in rural Alaska. The program, which has received support from the Indian Health Service and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, supplements dental care in rural Alaska with the use of trained dental therapists in areas where there are not full time dentists.

"The Dental Health Aide Therapist Program has been implemented to deliver high quality health care in very innovative ways throughout Alaska," Murkowski said. "We have a dentist shortage and a dental health crisis throughout rural Alaska. We also have the greatest state on earth and when we can't get the professionals into the villages, we need to be creative and do what we can to solve this problem. This program is very well thought-out and deserves an opportunity to prove itself."

The American Dental Association (ADA) opposes the use of Dental Health Aide Therapists to the full extent of their training and maintains that the trained therapist aides are not capable of providing adequate care. During today's hearing, ADA President elect, Dr. Robert Branjord, described the program as an "unfair experiment on Native Alaskans," and as "second-class service."

"I do know in terms of health care issues, we are so lacking in the area of dental health care in rural Alaska," Sen. Murkowski said during the hearing. "And I've got a real problem when people say that we are experimenting on Alaskans by providing them with the first steps in the dental care that is so badly needed."

Dr. Mary Willard, a dentist with the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation Dental Clinic, testified to the success of the therapist program in providing care to rural Alaska. "I believe what we are doing is a good thing and it is well thought out, and I know the people in the area are very supportive of us," Willard said. Willard, who oversees the program in Bethel, noted that the therapists are as equally trained and skilled as the dental school students that have come to work in the area. Willard also registered her opposition to the ADA campaign against the program. "I learned this morning that the ADA, in our local newspapers, is describing the dental therapists as experimenting on people of the villages and providing substandard care. I very strongly and clearly state that that is not true."

Murkowski noted that there is a severe shortage of trained dentists in rural Alaska, and an equally large problem attracting dentists to rural areas across the state.

"If we can put together a program that works, then we need put it into place," Murkowski said. "Rather than see if the therapist program can truly have the positive impact on rural Alaska that we believe it is having, the ADA would have us solve our dental backlog with the sole use of dentist volunteers. While the work of any volunteer is appreciated, it is hard for them to give more than two weeks a year and that's part of our biggest problem. Without the full-time presence of health education and health service, something these trained dental therapists can provide, we will not make progress in addressing rural Alaska's severe dental needs. I strongly support this program and the benefit it can provide to Alaskans."

http://murkowski.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=240662