Here are five legislative updates at the state and federal level that have caused controversy or challenges in the dental industry:
1. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a budget reconciliation package with provisions that will impact dentists and the dental industry, including potential cuts to Medicaid and other dental programs.
2. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis authorized a bill May 15 making Florida the second state to ban fluoride from being added to public water supplies. Jeffrey Ottley, DMD, president of the Florida Dental Association, shared that dentists are “extremely frustrated” by the move and warned of the potential impact of the ban on residents’ dental health.
3. The Academy of General Dentistry, the Nevada Academy of General Dentistry and the American Dental Hygienists Association opposed a Nevada bill that would have allowed individuals to obtain a dental hygiene license without graduating from a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
4. The California Dental Association thanked legislators for proposing a budget agreement that would delay Medi-Cal Dental cuts until 2027, but noted that not rejecting the cuts altogether leaves patients and providers uncertain about the program’s future.
5. Thanh Nguyen, DDS, shared that his office experienced a 33% increase in patient cancellations since an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation took place in May. Additionally, some of Dr. Nguyen’s employees have also chosen to take rideshares to work to avoid being profiled, despite immigrating to the U.S. legally. Medical facilities across the U.S. have shared similar trends since the Trump administration rescinded a policy that protected hospitals, medical clinics and churches from immigration enforcement.
