Dental Therapy Colorado
It’s Time to Bring Dental Therapy Training to Colorado
In 2022, the Colorado Legislature passed SB22-219, a bill to create a path for dental therapists to get licensed in Colorado.
Dental therapists are mid-level providers, similar to a physician's assistant in medicine. They play a crucial role in expanding access to quality dental care to more patients and improving oral health outcomes.
Colorado became the 14th state to authorize dental therapists with the passage of the 2022 bill, which led to dental therapists being able to be licensed beginning in May of 2023.
However, we’re facing a big challenge. There are currently fewer than five dental therapists licensed to practice in Colorado. All of them were trained in other states due to the lack of training programs of our own.
Colorado needs a dental therapy training program so that we can fully realize the benefits of the 2022 law.