DT Legislation Sign-On Letter

We, the undersigned, support HB 1173 and SB 1254 for the 2024 Legislative Session. These bills offer Florida an opportunity to expand access to dental care and improve the health of Floridians.

Oral health is intricately linked to overall physical health, mental well-being, and school performance.

Despite profound and persistent dental professional shortages and high out-of-pocket costs, Florida’s law related to the practice of dentistry hasn’t been substantially updated to improve access for over 10 years. Millions of Floridians must travel long distances, live in pain and miss work or school because they can’t find or afford dental care in their communities. This problem exists along all Florida geographic areas, racial and ethnic lines, and income levels.

THESE BILLS WILL:

Expand access to oral health services by giving dentists the option to add dental therapists to their dental teams through the licensure of dental therapists.
Ensure that Florida-licensed dental therapists practice under the supervision of a dentist.
Allow Medicaid to reimburse dental services provided by a mobile dental unit working with health access settings that care for underserved populations.

ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY PROBLEMS

120,000 Floridians visited hospital emergency rooms in 2021 for preventable dental conditions due to lack of affordable dental care in their communities.
Hospitals typically provide only temporary relief for these non-traumatic dental conditions (antibiotics and painkillers).
Florida hospitals charged patients, insurers, and the Medicaid program over a half billion dollars for ER and hospital admission services in 2021.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) has designated 66 of 67 Florida counties as “dental health professional shortage areas” meaning there is one dentist for 5000 Floridians. Floridians are forced to travel long distances to find care or go without care.
Florida ranks last in the U.S. for the percentage of children who had a dental health visit in the last 12 months.

We urge passage of this very good bill!

Name*

First NameLast Name

City*

City

Email*

example@colgate.edu

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Are you signing on as an:*

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Organization

Are you authorized to add your organization's name to this letter as an organizational supporter?

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In addition to signing on as a supporter of this legislation, would you like your name added to FLDA's official supporter list? (Note: organizational supporters will be listed on FLDA's website)

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Date Signed*

Date

In addition to signing on to legislation, would you be willing to do more? (If so, please check all that apply and we will follow up with you with further details. If not, please skip this question)

Speak with a reporter about dental issues I'm seeing in my communityEmail or call my senator and representative about these billsBe interviewed by an FLDA associate regarding a personal or professional experience regarding lack of dental access in my communityOther

In addition to signing on to legislation, would you be willing to do more? If so, please check all that apply and we will follow up with you with further details. If not, please skip this question.

Speak with a reporter about dental issues I'm seeing in my communityEmail or call my senator or representative about these billsBe interviewed by an FLDA associate regarding a personal or professional experience regarding lack of dental access in my communityOther

Are you a medical/dental professional? If YES, please select at least one of the following: