Dental Health Aides
Dental health aides are ambassadors for improved oral health in Native communities. They are integrated with the community and are trained to provide the most common and essential dental needs to enhance the care provided by traditional dental care models. They support hygienists and dentists by helping with cleanings, tooth restorations, and simple non-complicated tooth extractions.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Provide culturally sound, community based oral health care
- Offer oral health screenings in communal events and gatherings
- Give oral health nutrition advice and caries prevention guidance tips for families
- Practice evidence-based routine clinical dentistry, including cleanings and fillings
Training and Certification
Core Education
A board-approved DHA core curriculum course includes didactic instruction and hands-on practice in a lab or a clinic setting sufficient to demonstrate understanding in the following topics:
- Role of CHAP providers in the community
- Medical ethics, privacy, and reporting requirements
- Charting and clinical documentation
- Intro to clinic management and scheduling
- Infection prevention and safety principles
- Health/disease process for dental and overall health
- Intro to body systems and intro to anatomy of head, neck and dental anatomy
- Clinical procedures
Core Training
- Lab and/or clinic instruction
- Minimum of 12 hours hands-on practice
Certification Requirements
- Successful demonstration of clinical competencies
- Completion of Clinical Preceptorship
- Recertification every two years with continuing education knowledge and skills competency checklist completed
Impact and Benefits
- Increased access to culturally informed dental care
- Improved oral health a outcomes for communities
- Reduced oral health disparities in Native communities
