By: Brett Peveto
Originally Posted:
December 7, 2022
Inside a massive appropriations bill now in Congress is a provision which would allow federal funding for dental therapists.
Dental therapists perform basic dentistry, including fillings and simple
extractions, under the supervision of a dentist. They can also work remotely,
providing care in places like nursing homes or rural areas.
Dr. Frank Catalanotto, a founding member of Floridians for Dental Access, said
when oral health is neglected, people often end up in a hospital emergency
room.
"Tragically, Florida leads the nation," Catalanotto pointed out.
"In 2019, we had 150,000 visits to a hospital emergency department because
of a preventable dental problem. We had 4,300 admissions to the hospital
because the infection was life-threatening."
He added in 2019, hospitals billed $630 million for dental-related care, with
roughly half being Medicaid or not paid. He argued many such cases could have
been avoided if people had access to affordable preventive dental care.
The Florida Legislature has seen multiple attempts to legalize dental therapy
fail in committee over the last few years. Alaska was the first U.S. state to
license dental therapists 15 years ago, with a dozen more since then.
Dr. Larry Hill, president of the National Coalition of Dentists for Health
Equity, said Congress has made multiple attempts to fund dental therapy in
recent years, only to see it removed from bills at the last minute. He is
convinced dental therapists could help address the critical national shortage
of providers.
"It could mean the difference, literally, in millions of people over
time," Hill contended. "Not next week, not next year, but over time,
it could make the difference in millions of people that can't now get care
being able to access just routine care, preventive care."
The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates nearly 70
million Americans live in areas without enough dental care
providers. Often, the locations are rural or in underserved minority
communities.
In 2015, the Commission on Dental Accreditation adopted standards for training
in dental therapy and there are currently four such programs in the U.S.
Catalanatto noted dental therapy is holding up under scientific scrutiny.
"One hundred percent of the published scientific evidence said that dental
therapists are safe, provide high-quality care, are cost-effective and help
improve access to care for underserved people in this country," Catalanotto
emphasized.
Content for this Post is provided by Florida News
Connection, a Bureau of Public News Service.
Public News Service is a member of the The Trust Project.
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ReplyDeleteThe inclusion of federal funding for dental therapists in the appropriations bill is a crucial step toward addressing the national shortage of dental care providers. With preventable dental issues leading to costly emergency room visits, supporting dental therapy could significantly improve access to routine and preventive care, benefiting millions of Americans in underserved communities.
ReplyDeleteFederal funding for dental therapists, who perform basic dentistry under dentist supervision. The move aims to address oral health disparities, with proponents emphasizing the potential to prevent unnecessary hospital visits and reduce healthcare costs. Despite past legislative challenges, supporters argue that dental therapists, proven safe and effective, could significantly improve access to care.
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