June 15, 2008
Dr. Mary Williard observes observes Dr. Sara Shoffstall and a young patient in the YK Dental Clinic. (YKHC file photo)
DHAT Program Pioneer Honored as Distinguished Educator
by Danielle Dizon, YKHC Public Relations Staff
YKHC's former Deputy Dental Director, Mary Williard, believed dental health aide therapists could help address the oral health needs of rural residents, especially children, who suffer from cavities at more than two times the national rate.
Recently, Williard was awarded the 2008 Distinguished Educator Award from the National Rural Health Association and was honored this May at the annual rural health conference held in New Orleans for her work with the Dental Health Aide program. The award recognizes excellence in the development of education and curriculum dedicated to the needs of rural health professionals.
During her time working in YKHC's Dental clinic, Williard organized and supervised the first DHATs in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region and led rural health care to another level. In 2002, YKHC's Dental Department sent two students to receive Dental Health Therapist training at Otago University in New Zealand, with the intent that they would return to the YK Delta to provide dental education, dental assisting and preventive dentistry as Dental Health Aide Therapists (DHATs).
"When Dr. Allen and I heard about this being a possibility, we thought it was a great idea," said Williard. "We thought it was something we should get involved with."
The two graduates, Conan Murat and Lillian McGilton, successfully completed the program and were among four other DHATs returning to Alaska to work in rural communities under the supervision of a Dentist. Murat, who now works at the Aniak Subregional Clinic, serves patients from 15 different villages, while McGilton works in the coastal community of Toksook Bay, serving patients from six villages.
"Mary was our supervisor Dentist and mentor," said Murat. "She was extremely helpful and made Lillian and I who we are as therapists today."
The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, YKHC, and other Tribal health organizations throughout the state worked diligently to instill the program in rural Alaska. Because of ADA opposition, no therapist program had ever been started in a U.S. university. Despite arguments claiming DHATs were not licensed to practice under state law, in June last year the Superior Court ruled in favor of the Dental Health Aide Program.
After working at YKHC for over a decade, in 2006 Williard moved into a new position as the Clinical Site Director for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium's DENTEX Training Center, the only program in the United States to train Dental Health Aide Therapists.
Alaska's DENTEX program is a two-year curriculum focusing on basic restorative and preventative dental care. The first year consists of academic and clinical course work. During the second year, students receive direct clinical training under the supervision of a Dentist at the Yuut Elitnaurviat training center in Bethel.
"YKHC understood the benefits from people from the area trained to do services that are really needed," said Williard.
Today, the training center has four second-year students who are completing their clinical training in Bethel at Yuut Elitnaurviat's training facility: Christopher Evan, Danielle Boston, Sheena Nelson and Daniel Kennedy.
"This program is instrumental in the expansion of Dental services for the people of the Delta," said Gene Peltola, President/CEO. "YKHC congratulates Mary Williard on her award and we are grateful for her contributions to dental health care in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region."
