Health Administration and Policy Faculty Member Advocates for Dental Therapy Legislation to Transform Oral Health in Oklahoma

Dr. Mark Woodring, an assistant professor of health policy and administration at the OU Hudson College of Public Health and the OU Dodge Family College of Arts & Sciences, is spearheading efforts to address one of Oklahoma's most pressing health issues: oral health disparities in rural, tribal, and underserved communities. Through his recent guest article for the Oklahoma Policy Institute, Dr. Woodring highlights the urgent need for dental therapy legislation in Oklahoma—a transformative policy that could expand essential dental services to those who need them most.

The Case for Dental Therapy

Dental therapy, a statutorily supported health profession in other states such as Minnesota, Alaska, and Oregon, enables advanced practice providers to perform preventative and routine dental procedures under the supervision of a dentist. This approach has been shown to improve access to care in underserved areas while allowing dentists to focus on complex treatments.

In Oklahoma, where oral health outcomes rank among the worst in the nation, cost and accessibility remain significant barriers to care. For many residents in rural and tribal areas, emergency rooms have become the default option for severe dental issues—an expensive and inadequate solution. Dr. Woodring’s work underscores the potential of dental therapy to fill this critical gap by providing cost-effective, locally based solutions.

Collaboration and Vision

Dr. Woodring’s advocacy is supported by a coalition of stakeholders, including the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board, and key representatives from the OU Health Sciences Center Colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, Public Health, and the School of Community Medicine in Tulsa. This interdisciplinary approach emphasizes the importance of working together to address systemic health disparities.

“As the state’s premier academic health system, OU Health Sciences Center is uniquely positioned to lead this charge,” Dr. Woodring notes. “We have the expertise and the passion to create Oklahoma’s first dental therapy training program and improve oral health outcomes for underserved populations.”

If dental therapy legislation passes in the upcoming legislative session, the OU Health Sciences Center would be eligible for a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to establish a dual-degree program in dental therapy and public health. This initiative aligns with the university’s strategic plan to increase enrollment, recruit students from rural and tribal areas, and ultimately deploy graduates back to their communities to provide much-needed care.

An Ethical Imperative

Dr. Woodring’s advocacy extends beyond policy to include the ethical dimensions of healthcare. In his health policy classes at OU, students engage in rigorous discussions on topics like dental therapy, consistently arriving at unanimous support for the concept. “Our students understand that improving access to dental care is not only a policy issue but a moral obligation,” he explains. “The lack of accessible dental care perpetuates health inequities that we have the power to change.”

Critics of dental therapy often cite concerns about quality and the potential impact on the dental profession’s market dynamics. However, Dr. Woodring’s article challenges these views, pointing to evidence from other states where dental therapy programs have successfully expanded access without compromising care. He also emphasizes the importance of creating robust oversight processes to ensure high standards for dental therapists in Oklahoma.

Looking Ahead

Dr. Woodring and his coalition believe that the time for change is now. By adopting dental therapy legislation, Oklahoma can join a growing list of states that are addressing oral health disparities head-on. “We’ve seen this model work elsewhere,” Dr. Woodring says. “There’s no reason it can’t work here in Oklahoma.”

You can read the full article authored by Dr. Woodring’s and the potential impact of dental therapy legislation, visit https://okpolicy.org/passing-dental-therapy-legislation-in-oklahoma/

About Dr. Mark Woodring

Dr. Mark Woodring is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and has spent over 25 years working to improve health outcomes in rural and underserved communities. He currently serves as Vice Chair for the Rural Health Association of Oklahoma Board of Directors and sits on the Oklahoma Medicaid Delivery System Quality Advisory Committee. Through his role at the OU Hudson College of Public Health, Dr. Woodring’s action-oriented community research continues to shine a light on overcoming health disparities and fostering equity in healthcare.