Legislative News

Call to Action 9-16-11

ADHA is requesting that we make a phone call to keep grant monies available! 
 
The American Dental Hygienists' Association is asking you to take a few minutes of your time to call your Representative Mike Simpson and state your support for Alternative Dental Health Care Provider Demonstration Grants.  Representative Simpson, one of two dentists in the House of Representatives, is pushing a prohibition on funding for the grants.
 
It is critical that Representative Simpson hears from dental hygienists who support the grants!
 
The grants recognize the need for innovations in oral health care delivery to bring quality care to those who are currently underserved.  The program would provide funding for up to 15 grants to test new dental workforce models, including those that use entry level dental hygienists, advanced practice dental hygienists, dental therapists, and models that allow medical professionals to offer oral health guidance and fluoride varnishes.
 
Some quick information about the grants:

• Any entity receiving grants would have to use the grant in a way consistent with state practice acts
• The grants will pilot test innovative programs and also collect data to explore outcomes
• ADHA is one of 60+ organizations that has expressed support for the grants!

We ask that you please take just a moment to contact Representative Simpson and tell his staff that you are an oral health professional who supports funding in FY 2012 for the Alternative Dental Health Care Provider Demonstration Grants (Section 340G1 of the Public Health Service Act - Dental Workforce Grants).
 
Representative Mike Simpson
Washington DC Office Phone Number: 202-225-5531
 
If you would like any additional information about the grants and ADHA's position, please contact ADHA's Division of Governmental Affairs at 312.440.8925 or reply directly to this e-mail.
 
Thanks for your support,
 
ADHA's Governmental Affairs Team:
Megan Fitzpatrick, Director
Kathy Schroder, Manager
Stacey Chappell, Manager

Thank you for calling today and over the weekend. They are expected to vote on this on Monday or Tuesday, September 19th or 20th. 

Sincerely,
IDHA

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The 2011 Legislative Update:

We have taken what we believe to be another positive step toward ensuring that Idaho's dental hygienists can take their rightful place among the Gem State's professional oral caregivers, and that eventually we will be able to provide timely and efficient care to all Idahoans.  Based on some positive and significant feedback we have received from the Idaho State Board of Dentistry and the willingness of the Idaho State Dental Association to enter meaningful discussions on the issues we have raised, we have postponed our attempt to move our legislation through the current legislative session.  Please do not interpret the latest action on the part of the Idaho Dental Hygienists' Association's board as an act of capitulation.  The ISDA has agreed to begin immediate discussions toward reaching collaborative changes to the Idaho Dental Practice Act that hopefully will allow us all to enter the next session cooperatively together.

The Idaho State Board of Dentistry correctly pointed out that since the Restorative Endorsement Idaho currently offers is provided in rule rather than in statute it would be much easier and cleaner to make the change to allow the endorsement to apply to all settings through the rule process.  Although any delay is disappointing and frustrating, it became increasingly difficult to argue with their logic.  It also allows us to foster a more harmonious working relationship with the board and the state dental association.  The state board also expressed support in theory with dental hygienists providing unsupervised care in extended access areas, but they were recommending some changes to the existing bill.  That bill also has caused considerable angst among Idaho's dentists.  However, they have still expressed a desire to address their concerns in meetings with the Idaho Dental Hygienists' Association, the first meeting scheduled to take place on February 12th.  We have also been invited to address the ISDA members during their March meeting with their board of trustees, and we have been asked to participate in round table discussions with the dentists during their annual session this summer.

With all this happening this is no time to become complacent.  While these should be viewed as positive steps toward moving forward with eventual legislative changes, we still need everybody to continue the process of contacting dentists in your areas to help educate them on changes we're trying to implement.  We have heard from around the state that many dentists are supportive of changing the existing restorative law to allow hygienists to perform the procedures inside a dentist's office.  Please ask them to pledge their support in writing.  As we have said earlier this recommended change DOES NOT provide for hygienists to perform restorative procedures.  That's already allowed.  It simply adds a more reasonable location, similar to what's allowed in our surrounding states.

We must also continue our efforts to educate the dentists and the legislators in our areas about the potential benefits to allowing hygienists to do what they do in extended access areas without supervision.  There's been a great deal of misunderstanding associated with this proposed change.  Hopefully during the upcoming meetings with the ISDA, we can alleviate the fears expressed by some dentists and convince them and their peers that this is not intended to divert current business from dentists.  Once again, each and every hygienists in Idaho can help in this process.  It doesn't matter if you personally have no desire to practice restorative or practice in an extended access area.  It's more important that you and all hygienists be accepted as the professional caregivers you are. 

To discuss these issues in more detail, please feel free to contact IDHA President Megan McClurg by email at maddey02@hotmail.com.

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