COHEC’s Principles for a Dental Therapy Policy
A Dental Therapy Policy in California Must:
Community Voices
Dental therapists are going to help California because refugees from our community have learned that they can help prevent disease.
There are a lot of barriers in getting a degree. Not everyone can become doctors or nurses because of various reasons.
I can share from my perspective coming from a small town, rural-ish surrounded by farmlands. In 2019, I changed employers, so my provider changed. It took me one year to find a dentist because everywhere I called, the dentist was either retiring or not accepting new patients or had a 6-month waiting list.
I would like my provider to look like me so that they could know what I’m talking about and can relate.
Dental care should be accessible to all people, regardless of race.
Many of us go abroad if we’re looking for something more affordable. Sometimes, when you can’t go far, clinics should be brought into town.
My husband doesn’t speak English and just agrees without understanding the dentist. He doesn’t know what he’s agreeing to, and in the end, doesn’t know what they’re going to do.
You should be able to walk into a dentist’s office and feel human.
