Kaela Hoyt

A Dental Therapist is an individual who has completed an accredited or non-accredited dental therapy program and who has been authorized by the relevant state board or a tribal entity to provide services within the scope of their practice under the supervision of a dentist. Functions that may be delegated to the dental therapist vary based on the needs of the dentist, the educational preparation of the dental therapist and state dental practice acts and regulations.

Community health workers (CHW) are lay members of communities who work either for pay or as volunteers in association with the local health care system in both urban and rural environments and usually share ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status and life experiences with the community members they serve. They have been identified by many titles such as community health advisors, lay health advocates, "promotores(as), outreach educators, community health representatives, peer health promoters, and peer health educators. CHWs offer interpretation and translation services, provide culturally appropriate health education and information, assist people in receiving the care they need, give informal counseling and guidance on health behaviors, advocate for individual and community health needs, and provide some direct services such as first aid and blood pressure screening. Some examples of these practitioners are Community Health Aides or Practitioners established under 25 USC 1616 (l) under HHS, Indian Health Service, Public Health Service.

Source: NUCC, CMS