Dental therapists are licensed dental auxiliaries in some countries. Therapists were created in New Zealand in 1921, with the formation of the School Dental Service, and spread mainly to other Commonwealth countries. Local regulations determine the duties therapists are allowed to perform, including either working under the prescription of a dentist or independently, and either exclusively treating children, or patients of any age. Therapists may work in government or private clinics, and are typically licensed to examine teeth, take radiographs, administer local anesthesia, restore teeth, administer vital pulp treatments such as pulpotomies, extraction of deciduous (primary) teeth, provide sealants, scaling and polishing, and apply topical fluoride.
