The path that led me to becoming a dental therapist began long before I imagined a future in dentistry. When I was in eighth grade, I fractured my upper front tooth (tooth #8) and it was extracted only a few weeks before I started high school. My family lived in rural Oregon and our income was well below the poverty level. The Oregon Health Plan didn’t exist yet, and restorative options like a root canal and crown — or even an anterior flipper — were financially impossible.
So, I walked into my freshman year, and ultimately all four years of high school, missing my front tooth.
Anyone who has had a noticeable dental issue, especially as a teenager, can imagine the emotional weight of that experience. For me, it was more than cosmetic. It shaped how I saw myself, how I interacted with others, and how others interacted with me. It was a daily reminder of what happens when families don’t have access to essential health care.
Looking back, that period of my life was the beginning of my empathy for others who lack health care. It opened my eyes to what it feels like to truly need care and not be able to get it.
As I grew into my career as a dental hygienist, that memory stayed close. It fueled my desire to serve people who, like my younger self, carried the burden of untreated dental needs because of circumstances outside their control.
When I learned about Pilot #300 at Pacific University and the opportunity to become a dental therapist, something clicked immediately. This was a pathway that aligned perfectly with my personal history and professional purpose. It offered a way not only to deliver care but to expand access to where patients are, rather than waiting for them to come to us.
What Dental Therapists Do in Oregon
Under Oregon law (ORS 679.621), a licensed dental therapist may perform a broad set of preventive, restorative, and basic surgical dental services under a collaborative agreement and appropriate supervision by a dentist.
For me, working in a mobile dental van servicing rural and underserved communities and safety-net settings; this scope of practice is exactly what allows me to make a difference. It gives me the tools to deliver meaningful preventive and restorative care, even in places where traditional dentistry is out of reach.
Dental Therapists Improving Oral Health — On the Ground
Dental therapists play a critical role in expanding access to oral healthcare, especially in rural and underserved communities. For me, one of the greatest contributions we make is simply showing up and physically bringing care to people who often have no other options.
In Central Oregon, my work spans many settings. I operate a mobile dental van two to three days a week and practice at brick-and-mortar clinics on other days. The mobile unit travels across 80 miles, from Madras to LaPine, bringing preventive and restorative care directly into the community.
This mobility allows us to partner with a wide range of organizations, including:
These are spaces where people already feel safe and supported; places where they’re comfortable. When dental care arrives in those environments, patients are more open to receiving it.
The dental van also offers something that traditional dental settings sometimes struggle to provide: a calm, flexible, patient-directed experience. For individuals with dental fear, trauma histories, or high anxiety, stepping into a full clinic can feel overwhelming. The mobile van creates a gentler, more approachable alternative. We slow down, work at the patient’s pace, and focus on what they can handle that day — whether it’s one small step or a completed procedure.
The scope of practice allowed under Oregon law, provides me with the ability to provide a wide range of services; from cleanings and sealants to fillings, minor extractions, and temporary crowns — without requiring patients to travel far or wait for specialist care. In doing so, we bridge one of the biggest gaps in oral health care: the gap between needing care and being able to access it. Dental therapists help build bridges, especially in regions where provider shortages, transportation barriers, or financial limitations make traditional dental care out of reach.
Closing Thoughts
My journey into dental therapy began with a difficult personal experience, grew through years of practice as a hygienist, and ultimately led me to a role where I can create access, I once needed myself.
Every patient I meet reminds me why this work matters. Access to oral health care should never depend on geography, income, or circumstance. Dental therapy, as defined by Oregon law; is one of the tools helping Oregon move closer to that reality, and I’m honored to be part of that effort.
I’m profoundly grateful for this opportunity, and for the trust so many patients and communities have placed in me. Every day I feel honored to help people reclaim comfort, function, and confidence.