Canada is revisiting dental therapy as a strategy to improve access to oral health care in remote and Indigenous communities, particularly in the Northwest Territories (NWT), where dental services have been scarce in recent years. The approach, which involves training dental therapists to provide a range of preventive and basic restorative services, was first introduced in the 1970s but was discontinued in 2011 after federal funding was cut.

Dental therapists provide care that falls between the scope of practice of dentists and dental hygienists. While dentists perform complex procedures such as root canals, crowns, and implants, dental therapists focus on fillings, simple extractions, routine checkups, and preventive education like teaching brushing and flossing. The profession, originating in New Zealand in the early 20th century, has since been adopted in more than 50 countries and has been shown to improve oral health outcomes in underserved populations.

Canada currently has only one dental-therapy training program at the University of Saskatchewan, which relaunched the initiative in 2023 as a bachelor of science degree. Health Canada is supporting the expansion of this program into the NWT with $3.1 million in funding, partnering with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, which represents Inuit communities in the Western Arctic. This program will include education delivered both in the town of Inuvik and through a "learn where you live" model that allows students to train in more remote locations.

The reintroduction of dental therapy in Canada is partly inspired by successful programs in Alaska, where dental therapists have been established since the 1970s. Research from Alaska indicates that communities served by dental therapists experience increased preventive care and fewer extractions. Studies have also shown that dental therapists reduce emergency dental visits, particularly among children. The shared cultural and linguistic backgrounds between therapists and their communities have been cited as key factors in building trust and improving long-term oral health outcomes.

Practitioners and experts emphasize that dental therapy is not a comprehensive solution but can help fill critical gaps in oral health access for rural and Indigenous populations. Jim Tennant, a dentist who practiced in Northern Canada since the early 1970s, recalled that dental therapy was highly effective in treating schoolchildren on a salaried basis rather than fee-for-service, allowing for more time and personalized care.

However, the profession remains limited in Canada. Dental therapists are currently permitted to practice in the territories, parts of British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, but not in Ontario or Quebec, where the profession is not recognized. The first cohort from the new NWT program is expected to graduate around 2030, with five to eight students per class.

Leaders in public health dentistry view the expansion of dental-therapy programs as an important step toward addressing oral health disparities. Evelyn Storr, executive director of beneficiary services for the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, said the initiative will help train local students and strengthen the long-term health workforce in their communities amid ongoing challenges in accessing dental and primary care.

Overall, the renewed focus on dental therapy reflects a broader effort to improve oral health equity in Canada’s remote and Indigenous communities by adapting proven models to local needs and conditions.