Ala. graduates new DHATs

Alaska's Dental Health Aide Therapist (DHAT) Educational Program has graduated five new midlevel dental providers (MLPs), totaling 32 MLPs that will be available to serve in tribal communities throughout the state, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium announced.

The five graduates received certificates showing that they have completed the two-year training program. DHATs are trained to perform oral exams, clean teeth, fill cavities, complete simple extractions, and provide preventive care, such as fluoride treatments and sealants, and education about oral health.

The graduates now will receive 400 hours of practice under the direct supervision of a dentist with a sponsoring tribal health organization before they are certified as DHATs. After they are certified, the therapists can practice more independently in remote locations, with close supervision.

In exchange for the training they receive, students are required to serve as DHATs for four years. Nearly 80% of DHATs return to their home villages to practice, and the program has an 81% retention rate, according to the consortium.

The DHAT program, now in its 10th year, makes dental care accessible to more than 40,000 Alaska Native people in rural areas. DHATs typically provide 1,200 patient visits a year, including 700 for preventive services, according to numerous reports.