Rural Renaissance, a legacy commitment by Senate President Ben Albritton that passed in the Senate unanimously, arrived in messages at the House of Representatives. The House Health & Human Services Committee enhanced this visionary and heart-felt investment in rural counties by including provisions for oral health/dental therapy.
Good oral health is essential to overall physical health. PCS 1427, sponsored by Representative Philip Griffitts (R – Bay County), recognizes importance of oral health and includes a provision to expand Floridians’ access to dental care by authorizing dental therapists to practice in the state.
The much needed move also recognized Florida’s dental crisis is worse than expected, especially for rural areas. Such a finding is aligned with a comprehensive evaluation of Florida’s dental workforce prepared by Harmony Health for the Florida Board of Governors, which has governance responsibility for the State University System.
The report highlighted critical shortages, geographic disparities, and actionable solutions, including dental therapy, to address these dental access challenges over the next 20 years.
Florida’s dentist-to-population ratio ranks well below national averages, with only 29 dentists per 100,000 residents compared to the national average of 41 dentists per 100,000. By comparison, similarly sized states are ahead:
- California leads with 48 dentists per 100,000 residents
- New York and Texas each maintain a ratio of approximately 35 dentists per 100,000
Projections indicate that Florida requires 2,881 additional dentists right now just to meet the need. Since Florida is the fastest growing state in the nation, this number is expected to rise to 3,812 by 2035. Currently, the state’s inflow of dental school graduates annually is only 322.
Rural Counties Face the Worst Shortages
While nearly all of Florida’s counties (65 out of 67) have designated dental health professional shortage areas (DHPSAs), rural counties experience the worst access challenges. In fact, about two-thirds of Florida’s rural counties (20 out of 31) have ten or fewer dentists, with one- Glades county- having zero.
Complicating the dentist shortage is the shrinking number of Florida dentists who accept Medicaid – only about one in five (22%) of all Florida dentists. With nowhere else to go, Floridians suffering from preventable dental conditions often seek care from hospital emergency rooms for temporary pain relief, costing Florida taxpayers over $500 million annually.
Florida is Worst in the Nation for Children Receiving Dental Care
Nationwide, Florida ranks last for children receiving annual dental visits and 42nd for adults, according to the report. Among 3rd graders, 25.1% have untreated cavities, while 24% of preschoolers face untreated decay, triple the national average. Only 43.1% of Florida children received dental care in 2020, below the national average of 52.3%.
“Dental health is more than just a pretty smile,” says Dr. Frank Catalanotto, founder of Floridians for Dental Access. “Lack of dental care for kids can lead to depression, self-esteem issues, trouble focusing in school, and even developmental delays.”
Dental therapy is an evidence-based solution to expand access to dental care. “Dental therapists have practiced worldwide for 100 years in over 50 countries providing safe, cost-effective, high quality dental care,” Dr. Catalanotto adds. “Over 1,500 published studies support dental therapy’s safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness.”
By providing the most needed routine dental care under the supervision of dentists, dental therapists could expand access to dental care especially to rural and underserved counties.
FDA Still Telling Fairytales
As expected, the Florida Dental Association continued its many myths and serious errors in facts when speaking to the issue. Their false flags did not move the majority. The Rural Renaissance package now includes a key solution to the oral health crisis impacting rural areas and all shortage areas as well.
All advocates for children and families and for those of any age who suffer from the inability to receive dental care are encouraged to pay attention to further calls to action to support this proposed momentous improvement.
The first step is to contact your local House member and encourage support for PCS/HB 1427! More to come. Stay tuned.