About half of dental professionals believe midlevel providers should have the opportunity to work in their state, while the other half disagree, according to a new survey.
The survey was conducted by the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network (NDPBRN). The network's November poll asked dentists and hygienists about their feelings on dental therapists. Just under half (48%) of respondents said they believe dentists should have the option to hire dental therapists, while the other half (49%) opposed midlevel providers working for dentists in their state.
Other findings from the poll include the following:
- Only 30% of respondents said they were interested in hiring a dental therapist.
- Most respondents (41%) agreed that dental therapists could help alleviate care disparities for underserved populations.
- About two-thirds of respondents had concerns about the care dental therapists would provide, such as being not prepared to perform surgical procedures.
