Dr. Steven Bradley Broadens His Impact on Oral Healthcare as a State Representative

As both a practicing dentist and a Republican state representative in Iowa, Rep. Steven P. Bradley, DDS, has spent his career balancing two forms of service: caring for patients in his practice and advocating for them through organized dentistry. With more than 40 years in dentistry and nearly two decades shaping policy through leadership roles with the Iowa Dental Association and the Iowa Dental Board, Bradley brought his expertise to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2021, where he works on issues ranging from workforce shortages to Medicaid reimbursement. In this interview, he reflects on the parallels between dentistry and public service, the importance of dental advocacy, and why he believes more dentists should consider stepping into public office.

AGD Impact: What inspired you to become a dentist?

Bradley: I was a chemistry major in college, so I was already in science. Several of my friends were headed to dental school, and I had a great-uncle who was a dentist, so I was considering either medicine or dentistry. While working at Finley Hospital in Dubuque, Iowa, an oral surgeon sat me down and walked me through the pros and cons of both careers, and that conversation is why I chose dentistry.

What was your path from dentist to state representative?

I spent nine years with the Iowa Dental Association, working my way up from trustee to vice president, president-elect and, ultimately, president. The day after my term as Iowa Dental Association president ended, I joined the Iowa Dental Board and served there for nine years, seven as chair. In total, I spent 18 years going down to Des Moines, working with legislators and four different governors on dental policy and trying to get certain bills passed and other bills killed. Running for office felt like a natural extension of that work. When my state representative switched parties for his 2020 re-election, I decided to run for his seat against him — and I won.

How are the calls to serve people through dentistry and through public office similar?

Both are about service. Dentistry is part of healthcare — some people may think we’re just a small part of healthcare, but I think we’re a large part — and healthcare is fundamentally about helping people. Serving in a public office greatly multiplies the number of people I am able to help with my dental knowledge. In public office, I’ve sponsored several dental- and other health-related bills, but sometimes the most important victories are the bills we kill. For example, I helped stop a proposal that would have charged dentists 2% on gross production in Iowa. When evaluating or developing legislature, my focus is always on what will most help the public, my patients and dentistry. Serving in the Iowa House of Representatives allows me to advocate directly for our profession and our patients. I work to keep costs down and dentistry strong.

Can you share some of your passion-project bills or exciting achievements?

One of my upcoming bills would allow nurse anesthetists, dental anesthesiologists and physician anesthesiologists to provide anesthesia in dental offices without requiring dentists to hold a moderate sedation permit as long as an advanced cardiac life support certification is maintained. Recently, I introduced bills to increase Medicaid reimbursement and to address workforce shortages. In Iowa, dental assistants are required to be registered in the state to work, which was creating shortages in parts of the state. To address those underserved areas, I proposed allowing dentists to train dental assistants directly in the office without requiring state registration while still requiring registration for expanded-function dental assistants. This flexibility helps practices fill critical roles and continue serving patients. On a personal note, when I semi-retired from private practice to serve in public office, I sold my practice to a dentist who got her start in the profession as my dental assistant, and I now work for her part time as well as at my daughter’s dental practice. Dentists play an important role in developing the workforce, and this bill keeps us at the steering wheel and allows us to more directly address oral healthcare workforce shortage issues to better serve our patients in rural areas.

What are some current issues at the state or federal levels that dentists should watch closely?

Dental licensure is a major one. I believe that if a dentist is licensed in one state and has no disciplinary actions against their license, they should be able to practice in another state — similar to how physicians are licensed. If you pass your boards, you should be able to practice in all 50 states. Greater mobility would benefit both dentists and the patients they serve.

Do you have advice for members interested in running for public office?

I recommend it, especially for dentists who are retired or semiretired. I’ve practiced for 40 years and am now semi-retired, but serving in the legislature keeps me connected to dentistry. I love our profession and want to make it better every day. I urge dentists to run for office because, without our voices, dentistry can be overlooked, and we need people at the forefront to protect our interests and those of our patients.

We currently have two dentists in the Iowa legislature, Rep. Tom Jeneary, DDS, who also served with me on the Iowa Dental Board, and me. We need more dentists to get involved, whether by running themselves or by supporting dentists who are running or who are already in office. Campaigning isn’t easy. I’ve been substantially outspent in three out of four of my races but still won. But having “Dr.” in front of your name lends credibility, especially when you speak on healthcare issues.