Florida’s Restrictions on Dental Hygienists Further Complicate Children’s Access to Dental Care
Dec 8, 2010
The Florida Dental Hygiene Association supports the position of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association that oral health care—a fundamental component of total health care—is the right of all people. Lack of access to oral health care is a critical issue in the United States due to disparities in the health care delivery system. Dental hygienists must play a vital role in the solution to eliminate these disparities and assure quality oral health care for all.
“The Pew Center on the States is a division of the Pew Charitable Trust that identifies and advances effective solutions to critical issues facing states. Pew is a nonprofit organization that applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life.”
They use an eight policy benchmark aimed at addressing children’s health needs. At the time of the report, Florida exceeded the national targets in only two of the eight categories, including:
1. Percentage of residents receiving fluoridated water supplies
2. Reimbursement to physicians for preventive dental services
Because Florida fell below the national benchmark in the other six areas at the time of the report, Pew Report gave Florida an “F”.
In Florida, the share of high-risk schools with sealant programs is less than 25 percent; Medicaid enrolled children receiving dental care is less than 24 percent; and the share of dentists’ median retail fees reimbursed is less than 31 percent. Florida does not authorize new primary care dental providers, nor does Florida track data on children’s dental health.
Florida’s reimbursement rates are so low that less than 9 percent of Florida dentists are significant Medicaid providers, creating a backlog of children desperate for care and few dentists to see them. Raising reimbursement rates has had a significant effect on children’s access to health care nationally according to the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Florida is one of three states where less than a quarter of children accessed dental services. Pew calculates that Florida needs at least 750 new dentists to provide care to underserved areas. The state’s restrictions on dental hygienists further complicate these challenges. Restrictive practice acts prevent dental hygienists to work without supervision in schools, senior care facilities and community health centers.
The financial barrier to oral health care is considerable with more than 150 million Americans–55% of the population–having no dental insurance. Studies show that those without private dental insurance are less likely to have seen a dentist recently than those with insurance. The uninsured tend to visit a dentist only when they have a problem, and are less likely to have a dental home, to use preventive care, or to have all their dental needs met.
As the preventive expert of the dental team, the dental hygienist can play both a critical and affordable role in both screening and preventive oral care. It is important that legislators recognize the role dental hygienists can play in addressing Florida’s access to oral health care problem.
Should you have any questions or comments, please contact Trevor B. Mask (tmask@cftlaw.com) at Colodny Fass.