Paige
,
Sidney
, and the communities served by Savannah and the 33 other DHATs practicing in the state of Alaska
are receiving better oral healthcare than Alaska
n
Native
s
were a generation ago
.
Sidney's mom, Nathalie, states in the video, "We have more consistent [oral health] maintenance and preventative work...which I really appreciate. It wasn't always an option before."
In the video, Paige and Sidney talk about how they used to be scared of the dentist, but having a Tlingit DHAT who grew up in a nearby community brought them comfort and lowered their anxiety. "She helped me feel better because I trusted her," Paige says.
DHATs, and their more commonly used name "dental therapists", are
mid-level providers trained and certified to perform the most common oral healthcare procedures, focusing on preventative and restorative care.
The National Indian Health Board has long brought together stakeholders and advocates on this issue and hopes this new video highlighting the successes of the DHAT program in Alaska will motivate other Tribal leaders and dental teams to support and act on making dental therapy a reality in more Tribal communities.
"Paige and Sidney are definitely getting better dental care than they would a generation ago, and it shows in their smiles and in the confidence on their faces and actions," stated Lincoln Bean, Organized Village of Kake Councilman, "I would encourage other Tribal leaders to look into this program."
Visit NIHB's
Tribal Oral Health Initiative
online
to learn how you can
pursue bringing
dental therapy to your Tribe.
If you are interested in more information or getting involved in advocacy efforts, please contact NIHB's Congressional Relations Associate, Brett Weber at [email protected].
