Associate Professor Susan Moffat said the aim is to improve access and affordability of treatment, and ease the workload for dentists, particularly in rural areas. Photo: 123RF
The coordinator of a new postgraduate dentistry course says she hopes it will improve access to dental care for adults.
The University of Otago's new Adult Restorative Dental Care certificate allows practising dental therapists and dental hygenists (also known as oral health therapists) to give fillings to patients aged 18 and over.
Course convenor Associate Professor Susan Moffat said the aim is to improve access and affordability of treatment, and ease the workload for dentists, particularly in rural areas.
"By having dental therapists or oral health therapists, dentists can probably do the more complex care."
Moffat said an ageing population meant more people were keeping their teeth for longer, leading to more complex problems.
There was a big shortage of dentists rurally, she added.
"Often there are dental therapists and oral health therapists who do work in rural areas. If they were also able to provide fillings for people aged over 18 it might improve access there."
Moffat said a third of the first intake of 21 students are Maori and Pasifika, while many are from areas such as Tairawhiti, Southland and the West Coast where there are dentist shortages.
The year-long course, which began in June, includes two-weeks of in-person training at Otago but the rest is taught remotely, allowing the therapists to continue to work while studying.
Auckland University of Technology would offer a similar course from next year, Moffat added.
