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What is an Oral Health Therapist?

An oral health therapist is a person who helps with your teeth. They clean teeth and fix small tooth problems. They help kids and grown-ups take care of their teeth. Many people do not have a dentist near them. Oral health therapists help more people get tooth care.

What Oral Health Therapists Do:

Oral health therapists do these jobs:

Clean teeth
Put on fluoride
Put on sealants
Fix small holes in teeth
Pull out baby teeth
Show how to brush teeth
Talk about good foods for teeth. They work the most with kids and people who need more help.

Oral Health Therapist vs. Dentist vs. Hygienist

Let's see how these jobs are not the same:

Person	What They Do	School Time
Oral Health Therapist	Cleans teeth, fixes small holes, helps kids	2-3 years
Dentist	Fixes all teeth problems, does big work, pulls teeth	8 years
Hygienist	Only cleans teeth, shows how to brush	2 years

A dentist can do all tooth work. A hygienist can only clean teeth. An oral health therapist is in the middle. They can do more than a hygienist but less than a dentist. When a team has all three, more people can get help with their teeth!

School and Papers for Oral Health Therapists

To be an oral health therapist, you must go to school. This school takes 2-3 years. You learn:

How to clean teeth
How to fix small holes
How to help kids
How to use After school, you need a paper that says you can work. This paper is from your state or country. Not all places have oral health therapists yet.

Where Oral Health Therapists Work

Oral health therapists work in many places:

Schools
Small towns
Places where not many dentists work
Clinics for people who need help
Old people homes They help a lot in far away places. In these places, people can't go to a dentist very much.

Why We Need More Oral Health Therapists

Oral health therapists are very good for teeth care:

They cost less than dentists
They help in places with no dentists
67 million people in the USA need more teeth care
They can do the small work so dentists can do the big work
They help more kids get good teeth care

What Oral Health Therapists Do Every Day

Every day, oral health therapists do these jobs:

Clean Teeth

They take off the sticky stuff on teeth that makes holes.

Take X-rays

They use a dental x-ray machine to see inside teeth.

Look for Mouth Problems

They check for bad spots or sick parts in the mouth.

Fix Small Holes in Teeth

They can fix small holes with things that look like teeth.

Pull Baby Teeth

They can take out baby teeth that need to come out.

Teach About Teeth

They show how to brush, floss, and eat good foods.

Oral Health Therapists Help More People

Oral health therapists make it so more people can get teeth care:

In Alaska, they were the first to have oral health therapists in the USA in 2005
Now 13 states let them work
In Australia, they need 3 years of school
They help the most in places with not many dentists

How Oral Health Therapists Help in Schools

Schools are a big place where oral health therapists work. They:

Check all kids' teeth
Put on sealants to stop holes
Teach kids how to brush
Show what foods are good for teeth
Help kids who are scared of the dentist This helps kids have good teeth for their whole life!

Tools Used by Oral Health Therapists

Oral health therapists use many tools:

Small mirrors to see all teeth
Small picks to check for soft spots
Cleaning tools to take off sticky stuff
Brushes with special tooth soap
Drills for fixing small holes
Dental curing lights to make fillings hard
X-ray tools to see inside teeth They know how to use all these tools to help teeth stay healthy.

Questions People Ask

Can an oral health therapist do all the same things as my dentist?

No. They can clean teeth and fix small holes. But for big problems or hard work, you need a dentist.

Are oral health therapists good at their job?

Yes! They go to school for 2-3 years and must get a paper that says they can work. They are very good at the jobs they do.

Where can I find an oral health therapist?

Look for community clinics, school programs, or ask your dentist if they work with one. Not all states or countries have them yet.

Do oral health therapists cost less than dentists?

Yes! They often cost less for the same work. This helps more people get the teeth care they need.

Can oral health therapists give shots for pain?

In some places, yes. It depends on the rules in your state or country.

Why Oral Health Therapists Are Good for Everyone

Oral health therapists help more people get teeth care:

They make it so dentists can help more people
They cost less than dentists for some work
They help in places with not enough dentists
They teach people how to have healthy teeth
They stop small problems from getting big

Sum Up

Oral health therapists are very important for teeth care. They sit between dentists and hygienists. They can clean teeth, fix small holes, and help teach good tooth care. They help the most in far away places and with people who need more help. As more places let them work, more people can have healthy teeth! If you want to know if an oral health therapist can help you, ask your dentist or look for clinics near you.