More than 1 million Oregonians live in an area with a shortage of dental care providers. A new program at Pacific University aims to bolster the dental workforce. The first cohort of the university’s dental therapy pilot program started their training on February 1. Dental therapists are mid-level practitioners who can provide dental services at a lower cost than dentists. We talk with Amy Coplen, program director of the School of Dental Hygiene at Pacific University.