The Florida Dental Association is supporting a bill that would allow out-of-state dentists to practice in underserved public health areas rather than introduce dental therapists, according to local news station WUSF News.
The Health Access Dental License bill was signed in 2008 allowing out-of-state dentists to come to Florida to practice. However, a sunset provision allowed the bill to be repealed Jan. 1. Florida Dental Association President Rudy Liddell, DDS, is advocating to reinstate the bill.
"We have people that want to practice in Florida and they're willing to practice in a federally qualified health setting to provide dentistry and this gives them a means to do that without sitting for a full licensing exam," Dr. Liddell told WUSF News.
There are around 14,000 practicing dentists in Florida and 30,000 dental staff. However, Florida's low reimbursement for Medicaid has stopped dentists from treating low-income patients.
With its support for out-of-state dentists, the Florida Dental Association is opposing a bill that would introduce dental therapists. The Florida legislature proposed licensing dental therapists to meet the needs of underserved patients. Dental therapists have more training than hygienists but less than dentists.
Dr. Liddell is arguing that dental therapists in other states are not having as great of an impact as originally thought. In Minnesota, Dr. Liddell said that of the 92 dental therapists, 70 percent are treating patients in cities rather than rural areas.