December 15, 2008
The original class of Alaskan-trained Dental Therapists include (from left) Daniel Kennedy, Sheena Nelson, Danielle Boston, and Christopher Evan.
First Alaskan-trained Dental Therapists Graduate
By Tiffany Zulkosky, Public Relations
The first cohort of Alaskan-trained Dental Therapists was honored during a Community Reception held Dec. 9, at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center.
The students were graduated from the program during a ceremony at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) on Friday, Dec. 12.
The four students graduating from the Dental Therapy program are: Danielle Boston of Chistochina, Christopher Evan of Russian Mission, Daniel Kennedy of Klawock and Sheena Nelson of Yakutat.
"As I sat through the reception and listened to the speakers address the crowd, I had the chance to reflect on the year and a half I've spent with these students," said Dr. Anthony Brusca, DDS, an instructor with the program since its inception in 2007. "I was filled with such an enormous sense of pride. These four individuals are pioneers in this field. I see this as an amazing beginning for the Dental Health Aide Therapist profession, not only in Alaska, but throughout our country."
The graduates will provide dental services throughout Alaska's rural communities under the supervision of licensed dentists. The oral health services typically include basic fillings, simple extractions, cleanings, site visits, screenings, fluoride treatments, oral hygiene and education.
"This is the beginning of something we hope to do more of and to expand," said LaMont Albertson, Executive Director of Yuut Elitnaurviat. "Regionally, there are overwhelming dental care challenges. Thanks to the vision of Gene Peltola, Valerie Davidson, and several other tribal health leaders, the Yuut Elitnaurviat Dental Training Clinic will be moving into a brand new facility on the Yuut Elitnaurviat Campus in March 2009, where we can begin to address rural needs in earnest. This truly introduces a new era of oral health care in bush Alaska."
The state and nation's first-ever Dental Therapy program is a collaborative effort between several organizations, including the University of Washington DENTEX Program, ANTHC, YKHC, and Yuut Elitnaurviat. The two-year program is modeled after the highly successful New Zealand program. According to resident dental instructor Dr. Robert Allen, DDS, nore than 50 other countries worldwide provide Dental Health Therapy Training for their citizens. These programs prepare students in the art and practice of preventive and basic dental care.
