Massachusetts Dentists Lobby for Pro Oral Health Legislation

On May 20, 2009, more than 100 members of the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) -- including many of our local dentists from Malden, Everett, Medford, Melrose and Revere -- will swarm the statehouse to support legislation promoting oral health in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This is the seventh time the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) hosts Beacon Hill Day.

This year, the MDS is using Beacon Hill Day to promote the MDS Call To Action to their membership and others. According to a white paper from the MDS, "the Call to ACTION identifies goals that the MDS hopes to achieve in the next five years in three specific areas: oral health/overall health, access to care, and prevention." This dovetails with Beacon Hill Day's history of educating our lawmakers and pressing for legislation.

Every year, the MDS Political Action Committee provides participating dentists and dental students with a packet that includes a map of the State House, the names and locations of their legislators, and information on the legislation that the MDS would like for the legislators to understand. The MDS sponsors lunch in the Great Hall for their members and any legislators who would like to attend. After a brief keynote address by Lt. Governor Tim Murray, the dentists will fan out to lobby their own legislators in their offices. The lawmakers and their staff are always attentive and welcoming to the visiting dentists.

This year, there are four bills that especially concern the MDS. The first is An Act Relative to Pupil Health. The MDS will point out to Senators and Representatives that dental disease is the most common, chronic childhood disease. The MDS believes that dental care should carry as much importance as medical care. Just as school systems require students to have physical exams and vaccinations, the state should ensure that every pupil has a dental exam by a licensed dentist.

This bill requires all children to have a dental exam by a dentist within 12 months of entering kindergarten or their first date of enrollment. There is a ratio of about one dentist to 80 children entering kindergarten in the Commonwealth. The MDS believes this to be an acceptable number. Unfortunately, there may be problems with access to care due to an uneven distribution of dentists in Massachusetts. This bill creates a statewide database to document this issue, and will aid in planning for public health clinics and initiatives.

Another bill that aims mainly to aid younger children and their parents is An Act Relative to Anesthesia Coverage for Children Hospitalized for Dental Treatment. Very young children and those who are developmentally disabled may have difficulty obtaining dental care due to anxiety and involuntary movements. Some of them are best treated in the hospital while under general anesthesia. MassHealth (the Commonwealth's Medicaid program) covers this service. Many private insurers do not. This bill will require private medical insurance to cover the cost of anesthesia rendered by an anesthesiologist and hospital costs. None of the additional cost goes to the dentist providing care. According to the MDS, 30 other states have similar requirements already.

An Act Relative to Oral Injuries asks the Department of Public Health (DPH) to investigate and report on the incidence of oral injuries in youth sports. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association requires athletes to wear mouth guards in some sports such as football and soccer, but not baseball and basketball. The bill requests that the DPH file the report along with recommendations and drafts of potential legislation.

People do not stop being dentists just because they reach a certain age or decide to stay home to raise a family. An Act Relative to Volunteer Dentistry sponsored by Senator Marc Pacheco, allows dentists who are not earning an income from the profession to volunteer in free clinics. These dentists may apply for a free volunteer license. The prerequisites are the same as for a standard license. Malpractice insurance is an important consideration for dentists who will not earn a single dollar for their efforts. Existing laws may serve to protect volunteer health care providers acting in good faith and the patients that they treat from adverse outcomes of care. Of course, the Massachusetts Dental Society and its membership support this bill. They ask for lawmakers and the citizens of the Commonwealth to join them.

These bills will aid Massachusetts dentists in an effort to promote and improve oral health for the public. Those uncertain of the value of one of these four bills may discuss them with their dentist.

Sources:

www.MassDental.org

www.ada.org