Oral Health Workforce Infographics

This infographic, an update from when it was last updated in 2019, illustrates allowable tasks for dental hygienists by each state in the United States, to help planners and policymakers understand the differences in legal scope of practice across states, particularly in public health settings.

This infographic describes the status of dental therapy in the United States (US) and details the specific requirements in state laws and regulations that define dental therapy practice. Dental therapists (DTs) are primary dental care practitioners that have been deployed in many countries around the world. Dental therapy was first implemented by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in 2005.

Teledentistry is the use of information and communication technology to deliver virtual oral health services in real time (synchronous) or through store-and-forward (asynchronous) methods. Regulatory guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic facilitated the swift adoption and expansion of teledentistry.

This infographic describes specific requirements in state laws and regulation that impact the ability of dental hygienists to apply silver diamine fluoride (SDF). SDF is a topical medicament that can be used to treat dental caries across the age spectrum. Research supports the use of SDF in pediatric dentistry and in the elderly population as a simple, inexpensive and effective way of preventing dental caries initiation and progression.