In 2017, state lawmakers unanimously passed legislation recognizing dental therapists on tribal lands. Broader licensing, allowing dental therapists to work in community health clinics across Washington, took effect on Oct. 31 of this year.
The tribe started the education program in 2022 so future dental therapists didn’t have to travel to Alaska to receive training. Graduates describe it as an intense but fulfilling three years.
The curriculum, which was inspired by Alaska’s program, overlaps with dental hygiene early on but then expands as students learn restorative procedures, diagnosis and patient management, said Cheyanne Warren, who leads the education program. A major emphasis is trauma-informed care, cultural humility and motivational interviewing — techniques to counteract fear and mistrust.