Pacific University in Oregon has launched a Master of Dental Therapy program.
The program, which was approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation in March, will welcome its first six students in the fall.
This makes Pacific the fourth accredited program in the U.S. to offer a dental therapy program and the second to offer a master’s degree, according to the university.
For the first two years of the program, dental therapy students will learn concurrently with dental hygiene students while also taking additional courses specific to the skills required of dental therapists. The third year will consist primarily of practicum experiences. On completion of the program, students will earn a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene and a master’s degree in dental therapy.
