Legislation proposed by the West Virginia Legislature could help improve the dental health of low-income adults across the state by providing a tax incentive to dentists who provide them free care.
Barbara Evans Fleischauer (D-Monongalia) is the primary sponsor of House Bill 4160, which would grant dentists tax deductions of up to $15,000 for pro bono work provided to indigent adults, according to a story in the Dominion Post. Introduced in January, the bill is now pending before the House Finance Committee.
Richard Stevens, executive director of the West Virginia Dental Association, supports the bill, according to the Post. Dentists already provide more than $30 million a year in uncompensated dental care in West Virginia at free clinics or in their offices, but this legislation would expand on that, he said.
A similar bill is pending in the Senate Finance Committee, according to the Post.
Copyright © 2010 DrBicuspid.com
