CORRECTIONS: Michigan is one of 14 states, and therapists must pass comprehensive exams for licensure. (Feb. 24, 11:30 MST)

Experts agree that proper dental care is an important part of a person's overall health, but a chronic shortage of dentists makes some parts of Michigan "dental deserts."

Studies show that dentists are especially scarce in rural areas and marginalized urban neighborhoods, but many providers are turning to dental therapists to provide coverage where needed.

Dr. Michele Bloxson is dental director for The Wellness Plan Medical Centers, a group of Michigan-based healthcare clinics. She says dental therapists are licensed to perform primary preventive dental care and some basic restorative procedures.

"Just like when you have a medical provider in the medical field, you have a PA," she said, referring to Physician Assistants. "A dental therapist is an additional provider in the dental field, to provide services to those patients that are not able to receive care."

According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, nearly 61 million people in the United States live in dental-shortage areas. For individuals without access to a dentist, dental insurance, or money to pay for this type of care, Bloxson said dental therapists are a good alternative.

Michigan has had a pathway to license dental therapists since in 2021. According to the American Dental Therapy Association, it is one of about 14 states that has legislation supporting the profession.

The Michigan Dental Association has said a majority of rural dentists are nearing retirement age. There's an opportunity there, adds Misty Davis, RDH, Oral Health Program Manager at the Michigan Primary Care Association.

"Foundationally, the intent of dental therapy is to grow providers from the communities they will be serving. If Michigan education institutions align with this, we can strengthen our oral health workforce in the areas of diversity and cultural competence."

Bloxson said people in immigrant, Black or Latino communities are often more comfortable with a caregiver who looks like them.

"If you have a dental therapist to provide some of those adjunct services, it will benefit those areas as well," she said. "Patients that, when they go to clinics, they want to have someone that represents their ethnicity or someone that speaks their language."

Bloxson said training programs for dental therapists generally take two to three years to complete, and a growing number of U.S. colleges are adding it to their health-care curriculum. Graduates must pass a comprehensive licensing exam to receive a license to practice. Michigan colleges and universities are currently exploring program development. Until a program in operation in Michigan, aspiring dental therapists may pursue education in Alaska, Washington, or Minnesota and return to Michigan to practice.


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People who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, will be dropped from their CoveredCA health plans at the end of August.

The move comes after the Trump administration changed a Biden-era definition of "lawfully present" to revoke health care eligibility for thousands of immigrants.

Christine Smith, policy and legislative advocate for the nonprofit Health Access California, said people only have a few weeks to get medical appointments in before their coverage ends.

"If you're enrolled in Covered California and you're a DACA recipient, the Trump administration just ended your coverage," Smith emphasized. "People should use as much of your health care as you can before the August 31st deadline."

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services defended the move, saying it will save taxpayers money. CoveredCA estimated the change affects about 2,400 DACA recipients in the state who make too much to qualify for Medi-Cal and have jobs not providing health insurance. They can still buy private insurance but it is much more expensive. People who prepaid for their coverage can seek a refund.

Smith predicted it will be a blow not just to those who lose coverage but to the state's health care system as a whole.

"The lines in the ERs are going to be longer because people are not going to be able to get affordable preventive care," Smith projected. "They're just going to get sicker and then end up in the ERs. People will overall incur more medical debt. Hospitals will have more uncompensated care."

The change is nationwide. As of mid-July, about 538,000 people in the DACA program across the U.S. are ineligible to enroll in any state-based insurance marketplace and are unable to access premium subsidies or cost-sharing assistance.

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Artificial intelligence is appearing more prominently in many aspects of life and research suggests older populations are curious, yet remain wary of using the technology in their everyday lives.

According to Stats Indiana, there are more than 1.5 million Hoosiers aged 65 and older, or 18% of the state's population. Experts said it is likely the demographic will use AI in some form in the next few years, either by choice or necessity.

Dr. Shaun Grannis, vice president of data and analytics for the Regenstrief Institute on Aging, said AI offers real benefits.

"It can reduce loneliness through conversation, provide reminders for medications and appointments," Grannis outlined. "It can support cognitive stimulation via games, storytelling, news updates."

The technology can also offer a low-pressure way to access information on public services, he added, which is valuable for those with mobility issues or those who feel intimidated by technology.

Grannis cautioned any tool which can be used for good can also lead to problems. He noted AI can create a false sense of companionship and mask social isolation. Overdependence is a legitimate concern, he argued, if the technology becomes a "crutch" for all forms of interaction.

"All cognitive activities or decision-making, it can actually lead to and create a negative feedback loop, lead to a decline in engagement and even basic self-management skills," Grannis explained. "This is risky."

Grannis believes one solution is designing AI systems to complement, not replace, human interaction. He stressed it can be done though building broader support ecosystems including family, friends, caregivers and community services. Grannis emphasized it would encourage real-world activity, prompting the user to go for a walk, call a grandchild or attend a local senior event.

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If you have an extra five minutes, you can save a life because you can learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation at no cost from a new mobile, hands-only CPR kiosk.

The new kiosk is in the lobby of Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica. The machine's touch screen gives a brief overview of hands-only CPR and you can practice right there, on a mannequin.

Dr. Rigved Tadwalkar, cardiologist at St. John's, said it is an easy way for people to get more comfortable giving chest compressions in an emergency.

"It's a lot like a video game but of course, a lot more important than a video game," Tadwalkar pointed out. "It gives real-time feedback about the depth and rate of compressions, proper hand placement, which are all factors that influence the effectiveness of CPR."

The American Heart Association operates the St. John's mobile kiosk and a stationary model at L-A-X with support from the hospital. Santiago Canyon College in Orange County also has a mobile hands-only C-P-R kiosk now through September, sponsored by Edwards Lifesciences.

Steven Munatones, an Orange County business owner, said he survived what's known as a "widowmaker" heart attack which led to cardiac arrest nine years ago, thanks to his 17-year-old son, who gave him immediate CPR with instructions from a 911 operator.

"You don't have to put your mouth to anybody's mouth," Munatones explained. "You just put your hand on their chest and pump. He saved me, and others can do the same, anywhere. So, it's absolutely a lifesaving, heroic act that anybody can do."

Statistics show 350,000 Americans suffer from cardiac arrest outside a hospital each year and about 90% die, in part because they do not receive CPR. About 70% of those cardiac arrests happen at home, so people often depend on family or friends to give CPR before an ambulance arrives.

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