University Archives

The purpose of this project is to investigate dental hygiene students’ willingness to pursue additional education to become dental therapists (DTs) and expand their roles to perform preventative and basic restorative procedures such as simple extractions, treatment planning, fillings, etc. The study aims to evaluate whether increased awareness of the DT role influences students’ interest in returning to school, with the larger goal of informing dental educators and policymakers about how to support workforce development and expand access to oral healthcare. The study took place at Oakland university for the Michigan Association of Dental Hygiene Education (MADHE) annual meeting conference on November 14 2025 there were 400 students in attendance at the meeting 225 participated in the survey.