Maine's 1st dental therapist intends to press for expansion
March 16, 2021
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BANGOR, Maine (AP) — The state’s first dental therapist has been licensed. And she hopes she'll have more company in the coming months and years, boosting access to dental care in a rural underserved state.
Dental therapists, likened to a nursing practitioner or physician's assistant, are recognized in 13 state and two territories. Claire Roesler became the first one licensed in Maine on Friday.
Roesler, 26, came from the Midwest to take a job in Bangor knowing that she can play a role as an advocate for expanding the concept.
"That was a huge draw of coming to Maine. I love advocating for dental therapy. So an opportunity to try something new and to take the movement to the East Coast — it’s a humbling opportunity," said Roesler, who works at a clinic in Bangor operated by Penobscot Community Health Care.