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The Legislative Route to Expanded Dental Care Access BY ANDREW SMITH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ADSO
The consequences of this lack of access to care are much greater than cavities and root canals. In fact, a growing body of dental research has consistently demonstrated direct links between lacking oral health and serious conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Given the obvious importance of this issue, it is clear that we must look into the nature and cause of this dental professional shortage and pursue solutions that will help ensure patients get care where and when they need it.
Contributing factors
The current shortage of dental professionals is being felt across the country. It is a regular experience that patients attempting to book appointments for routine checkups or necessary procedures are told that the closest available date is weeks or even months away. This situation is not only frustrating, but leads to significantly worse dental health for patients who often delay or forgo needed dental work altogether, exacerbating existing problems and increasing the eventual cost of care.
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MAY/JUNE 2023 • DENTIST ENTREPRENEUR ORGANIZATION
Among the factors contributing to a lack of access to dental care across the United States are the burdensome regulations encountered by dental professionals who are looking to move and operate in a new state. States decide the rules for dental licensing virtually everywhere, meaning legislators are the ones who decide dental licensing requirements. Currently, the laws and licensing across the various states do not play nicely with each other. This means that dentists and dental hygienists who wish to move to states where their services might be in more demand will almost certainly encounter significant
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