Oral health is increasingly recognized as an important component of overall general well-being. As such, it is crucial that Michigan maintain policies that make dental services safe, but also accessible and affordable. The evidence suggests that licensing new dental therapists will help the state meet all three of these goals for its residents and help contribute to a healthier Michigan. This policy brief, in conjuction with the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Michigan, examines how creating a new class of midlevel dental providers, called dental therapists or dental hygiene practitioners, could alleviate dentist shortage problems and improve access to routine dental care
Health Care
Don’t Fence Me In: Reggie’s Story
DEL RIO—Reggie’s life has revolved around opportunity—seeking it all over America, and eventually creating it for himself, in response to the needs of his neighbors. He’s back in Del Rio now—where he belongs, he says. He runs a medical transport company (staffed by licensed EMTS and paramedics), something many of the elderly South Texas depend...
March 16, 2026