"Wendell Potter’s latest work, an examination of the dental therapy movement, is an enthralling look at change in the American health care system. The idea was brought to the U.S. by Alaska Native leaders, gained traction with the help of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and moved forward as Native American leaders exerted sovereignty in the face of well-funded opposition by the American Dental Association. This book is really a story about people who refused to accept the status quo and instead boldly pursued change to improve lives. And the movement continues as states continue to pass dental therapy legislation.”

“The Kellogg Foundation changed dental advocacy. It was an area that belonged to dentists. By grounding advocates in racial equity, the foundation created a space for local community groups—often marginalized—to become experts in access to oral health care, which changed the conversation in the states. WKKF and Community Catalyst broke down barriers and made sure that I, as a state advocate, went to Tribes first to talk to them before we launched any initiative. None of this would have happened without the community and professional network, and the robust learning network brought together by the foundation. In fact, I came to work [at Community Catalyst] because of what WKKF did for the dental therapy movement.”

“What began as a local solution to a local problem in rural Alaska Native communities has highlighted that inequities of oral health care access is much broader than experienced by Alaska Native and American Indian people in rural Alaska communities. This important work to expand dental therapy and other work to advance health and racial equity in communities in America is work that is worthy of our time, resources and effort. These inequities cannot and will not change until we take up the plight experienced by our children in our communities. We applaud this important work that is bringing back the smiles of children across America, from the smallest villages to the largest urban cities.”

"In these pages the history of the effort to effect systems change to ameliorate health inequities is presented. The beneficial support and collaboration with a philanthropic partner focused on social justice and increasing access to care is a key element of the story. The nurturing and maturation of dental therapy practice, starting in Alaska and spreading to many other states, is evidence of the success of this endeavor. This is compelling reading for all who strive to make a difference through positive systems change to achieve equity in oral health for all."

“The success of the dental therapy movement upholds WKKF’s theory of change: When community members drive how problems are defined, decisions are made and solutions are created, meaningful change becomes possible. Without WKKF’s investment in all of the work – the Alaska program, Tribal and community organizing and campaigns, dentist outreach, dental education engagement and research—none of this would be possible. That’s something worth celebrating.”

“Before colonization, Tribal leaders and Tribal communities cared for their people in ways that honored their traditions, built their villages, clans and Tribes, and supported their immediate and extended families. The rise of dental therapy in the U.S. is another demonstration of the continued resilience, resourcefulness, strength and inherent sovereignty of Tribal nations as they reclaim their health programs and overcome colonial trauma, breaking down the structural barriers that reinforce inequities. I am excited for this story to be told and the lessons to be shared with other communities struggling to overcome the exclusion and oppression of structural racism.”

“This is a story that needed to be told. It reveals the resourcefulness of communities to address long-standing health inequities to improve lives. To do so, required a commitment of minds and hearts. It took many voices, courageous leaders and an enduring tenacity to make the necessary changes. Wendell Potter tells not only what was done and the results, but he also—with unflinching honesty—lays bare the "why?" Oral health has traditionally been an estranged relative to primary care. For generations of vulnerable people, particularly children, this has meant not only a lifetime of pain but also of serious medical conditions. The dental therapist, a new oral health team member, comes from the community and serves the community to address this inequity head on. The evidence is clear: Children's lives are better and now whole communities are enjoying good oral health. I love a story where there is a hero, a just cause and a satisfying ending. The dental therapist story provides all of that and continues to evolve.”

“As a Tribally-led organization serving all federally recognized Tribes in the area of health, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is thankful for the work the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has done over the years to support health equity and improve health outcomes for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Dental therapy will help Tribes meet their oral health needs by providing a safe, culturally competent environment for dental care; by empowering Tribal citizens to become oral health providers; and by breaking down barriers separating Indigenous peoples from the oral health care they need and deserve.

As this enlightening new book highlights, Tribal nations have been leaders in dental therapy for years, from the first Alaska Native communities that brought dental therapy in the U.S. This includes everything from Iḷisaġvik College, a Tribal university that became the first American institution to receive accreditation for its dental therapy program, to the nearly 50 Indigenous people working as dental therapists in their own communities. Current dental therapy advocacy efforts in Indian Country build on these examples or resilience and ingenuity. NIHB stands proudly with Tribes and their allies in the fight for dental therapy as Indigenous peoples reclaim their oral health. We encourage Tribal and non-Tribal people alike to read ‘For Want of a Dentist: The Rise of the Dental Therapy Movement in Tribal Nations and the U.S.’”

“Alaska Native champions and communities led the way. The Kellogg Foundation embraced the opportunity to provide support and to later partner with health equity advocates to bring dental therapy to other states. Opposition and self-serving misinformation from organized dentistry was overcome as overwhelmingly positive results fueled advocates’ efforts to achieve win after win. Dental therapy is now steadily spreading across the country. More and more, forward-looking advocates and emboldened communities see dental therapy is making a difference. None of this would be happening without Kellogg Foundation's visionary leadership and long-term commitment to racial and health equity and raising community voice.”