Maine legislators have taken the first step toward allowing dental hygiene therapists to practice in the state.
LD 1230, "An Act to Improve Access to Oral Health Care," introduced by Speaker of the House Mark Eves (D-North Berwick), is intended to bring oral care to Maine's rural areas.
Speaker of the House Mark Eves
A labor committee approved the bill 7-5 on May 17 after several amendments were added. The changes increase the amount of supervised training for dental therapists from 500 to 1,000 hours and restrict their ability to perform extractions only on periodontally diseased permanent teeth, if authorized in advance by a collaborating dentist. In addition, they cannot prescribe medications and can only practice in federally designated areas that have a shortage of dentists.
"We're thrilled that we are one step closer to increasing access to oral healthcare for Maine's children and families in rural areas," Rep. Eves' spokeswoman Jodi Quintero told DrBicuspid.com after the vote.
The bill would set up a license that would require therapists to graduate from a dental hygiene therapy program and complete 1,000 hours of clinical training supervised by a dentist. The therapists would be allowed to operate a practice in Maine if they have a supervisory agreement with a licensed dentist.
Similar dental therapist models have been implemented in Alaska and Minnesota.
Some opposition
Supporters cited a Legislature report that found only 13.5% of dentists practice in rural areas, yet two-thirds of Maine residents live in rural areas, according to story in the Bangor Daily News. The report also stated that nearly a quarter of Maine dentists plan to retire in the next five years, and 16% expect to reduce their hours.
In addition, the report also found that an existing dental hygienist license that allows hygienists to open independent practices has started to alleviate some of the dental care access problems in rural areas.
However, the Maine Dental Association opposes the bill, and approximately 100 dentists from across the state went to the capitol in April to voice their opposition.
Opponents also noted that the University of New England's new dental school will start classes this fall, which should alleviate the dentist shortage. They also question whether the dental therapists would open practices where they are needed since dental hygienists who have opened independent practices have tended to locate in areas where dentists are practicing, according to the Bangor Daily News.
But Rep. Heather Sirocki (R-Scarborough), who is a dental hygienist, told the Daily News that there are many unemployed dental hygienists in Maine's rural areas who would sign up for the dental therapist training and start practices in high-need areas.
MaineCare, the state's Medicaid program, covers dental care for children, and Maine recently was one of five states to receive top marks for children's dental care from the Pew Charitable Trusts. For adults, MaineCare only covers emergency dental procedures.
The measure now goes to Maine's House of Representatives, then to the Senate, and will eventually need the governor's approval. Gov. Paul LePage has not yet endorsed the bill.
