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The 2003 Dental Access Bill resulted from the efforts of Minnesota’s oral health stakeholders, coordinated by the
Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) Dental Access Advisory Committee. Since its inception, the advisory
committee has provided a vital forum to provide policy recommendations to the state legislature.
These recommendations have resulted in legislated changes in the dental workforce, state purchasing strategies, and even funding mechanisms
for innovations in delivery systems and education.
The Dental Access Bill has a strong focus on expanding the dental workforce. One feature of the bill allows dentists to
forgo a clinical licensing exam if they complete a general practice residency program. Dentists with such training typically
develop greater skills needed to treat special needs patients and often seek careers in community dentistry.
Other workforce policies within the bill allow dental assistants and hygienists to place fillings in the teeth prepared by a
dentist and dental hygienists to provide dental sealants prior to an examination by a dentist.
Another new workforce policy reduces the continuing education requirements for volunteer retired dental professionals, giving
an incentive for retired dentists, hygienists, and assistants to participate in volunteer dental access programs – a potentially
substantial policy considering the growth in the number of retired dental professionals.
One of the policies passed in 2003 has created an outstanding opportunity to bring community stakeholders together in developing
access solutions. DHS developed a grant program to stimulate new approaches in purchasing and delivering the state’s dental
public programs. The grant was put out for bid and Apple Tree was selected as the recipient. As the coordinator of this exciting
new process, Apple Tree has created the
Oral Healthcare Solutions Project.
While the 2003 Legislative Session created significant new dental access opportunities, the state’s fiscal crisis prompted a $500
annual dental spending cap for adults enrolled in the state’s health care programs. Although this policy appeared to be reasonable
to legislators, implementing the annual cap has been extremely challenging and may well provide Minnesota dentists a major incentive
for leaving provider networks. The $500 cap is especially hard on nursing home residents, who often have extensive dental problems
and little or no money to pay for needed services.
Still, Minnesota remains one of a handful of states in the U.S. that continue to provide a relatively wide range of dental services
for adults enrolled in the Medicaid program.
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