Committee recommends creating new dental practitioner job to expand access to care in Massachusetts

A legislative committee has given a positive recommendation to a bill that would create a new category of "dental hygiene practitioners," who could perform certain common dental procedures under a dentist's supervision, in order to expand access to dental care. 

"This bill, which would create a midlevel dental provider, similar to a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner, has the potential to dramatically increase access to dental care for many people in the Berkshires and beyond who are simply not getting the care they need right now," said State Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, D-Lenox, who sponsored the bill, in a prepared statement.

State Rep. William "Smitty" PignatelliMalegislature.gov 

The Legislature's Joint Committee on Public Health gave a favorable recommendation to the bill, S.2076, on Monday and sent it to the Committee on Health Care Financing. A committee vote is the first step toward bringing the bill to a vote before the full House and Senate, which will return to formal sessions in January.

As The Republican/MassLive.com previously reported, the bill would create a new category of dental hygienists who, with additional training, would be allowed to fill cavities and extract teeth, under a dentist's supervision.

Advocates of the bill say it will help provide access to dental care for people who now struggle to get care, either because there are not enough dentists in a geographic area or because they cannot find a dentist who takes their insurance.

This problem is particularly acute for poor residents on public insurance. According to the bill's supporters, only 21 percent of Massachusetts dentists accept Medicaid.

There are also geographic disparities. A 2007 study found that in Hampshire County, 31 percent of kindergarten-age children had untreated tooth decay, the highest percentage in the state. Studies have found high rates of untreated tooth decay in seniors in nursing homes and among disabled adults.

In a few other states – Minnesota, Maine and Alaska – mid-level practitioners have been used to provide care in rural areas or to save money by providing a cheaper alternative to dentists, which allows practices to accept more Medicaid patients. The bill's supporters say a dental hygiene practitioner could provide services in nursing homes or schools, while consulting electronically with a supervising dentist.

"We have a deep divide in access to dental care in Massachusetts," said State Sen. Jason Lewis, D-Winchester, the Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Health, in a statement. "This is an effective way to close that gap, meaning more children, seniors, and people with special needs will receive care."

Source: http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/12/legislative_committee_recommen.html

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