As the state continues to face a growing shortage of oral health professionals, the training of dental therapists is more important than ever. Dental therapists provide preventive and restorative care for patients of all ages, particularly for low-income, uninsured and underserved populations.
Since 2018, the Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC) has been a training site for dental therapy students from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. Students complete three rotations at CUHCC: one in their second year to provide preventive services for pediatric patients, and two during their final year, including dental rotations and an interprofessional experience within CUHCC’s medical clinics.
Danae Kotula, MDT
“Dental therapy students serve a lot of pediatric patients on rotations, placing stainless steel crowns and fillings on baby teeth,” says Danae Kotula, MDT, who supervises dental therapy students at CUHCC, where she also sees patients as an advanced dental therapist.
Up to two dental therapy students at a time rotate at CUHCC, which is the state’s first and oldest community health center. Located in south Minneapolis, CUHCC provides whole-person care for a diverse patient population as well as clinical training for University of Minnesota health sciences students and residents.
Serving those in need
“Since CUHCC serves thousands of patients a year, the dental therapy rotations here give students opportunities to see a lot of patients, particularly those with unique needs,” says Kotula.
Megan Wass
For dental therapy student Megan Wass, patient interactions were what she enjoyed most during her rotation at CUHCC.
“For many patients at CUHCC, this was their first visit to the dentist or their first visit to the dentist in the U.S. Many patients were hesitant or anxious at the start of our appointment, but throughout our interactions and conversations, they became much more comfortable. It was an honor to help create a positive first dental visit,” Wass says.
Dental therapy student Samrawi Aron says he enjoyed working alongside a dedicated and energetic team at CUHCC while caring for patients from diverse cultures, backgrounds and languages.
“My daily interactions with people from all walks of life have enriched my experience and strengthened my ability to communicate across language barriers,” says Aron. “I have even learned basic clinical phrases—such as greetings and simple instructions like ‘open’ or ‘close your mouth’ in several languages. Being able to offer oral health education and explain treatment in a way that patients can understand is incredibly rewarding and often the highlight of my day.”
Lessons learned at CUHCC
For Aron, his time at CUHCC has deeply influenced how he approaches patient care, especially for individuals who face significant barriers to accessing oral health services.
Samrawi Aron
“This experience has encouraged me to design more comprehensive and realistic treatment plans for patients with limited or unresolved dental care options,” Aron says. “As I continue through the dental therapy program, I will apply these insights by emphasizing preventive care, recognizing and addressing barriers to access care, and advocating for patients who are often underserved.”
Looking ahead, Aron envisions becoming an advanced dental therapist with a broader scope of practice, allowing him to effectively serve underserved communities, promote equity in oral healthcare, and help improve long-term outcomes for the populations that need it most.
Wass says her time training at CUHCC “really pushed me to be confident in my skills and it showed me that I’m capable of more than I had previously thought. It also showed me firsthand the impact that I’m able to make as a dental therapist.”
A national leader in dental therapy
In 2009, the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry became the first dental school in the nation to create an educational program for dental therapists.
“At the time, there was a significant number of patients who didn’t have access to dental care in Minnesota,” says Kotula, who is also a clinical associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. “Today, dental therapists improve access to care for those who most need it.”
While dental therapy learners have been part of CUHCCS's oral healthcare team for nearly eight years, the clinic became an approved major site for dental therapy education in 2024 by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
“Historically all clinical requirements had to be done at the dental school, so having CUHCC be a CODA-approved training site for our dental therapy learners is quite unique,” says Kotula.
For Wass, her rotation at CUHCC was the first time she saw patients outside of dental school.
“It was interesting to see a dental office in a community healthcare clinic setting. We are so used to seeing stand alone dental offices, it has made me think of other ways dental therapists can be utilized to increase access to care,” says Wass.
Through his rotation at CUHCC, Aron says he was able to improve his efficiency in applying preventive and minimally invasive dental practices in a real-world setting that serves patients with significant and often unmet dental needs.
“My training at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry has equipped me with a strong foundation in evidence-based, preventive care, and the rotation at CUHCC offered the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice.”