Comparison of Dental Care Visits Before and After Adoption of a Policy to Expand the Dental Workforce in Minnesota.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Currently, 13 states and tribal nations have expanded their dental workforce by adopting use of dental therapists. To date, there has been no evaluation of the influence of this policy on dental care use.

Objective

To assess changes in dental care use in Minnesota after the implementation of the policy to authorize dental therapists in 2009.

Design setting and participants

In this cross-sectional study of 2 613 716 adults aged 18 years and older, a synthetic control method was used to compare changes in dental care use after the authorization of the policy in Minnesota relative to a synthetic control of nonadopting states. Data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from 2006 to 2018 were analyzed. Data analysis was conducted from June 1, 2021,

SUBMITTER: Elani HW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8933736 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature