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MDHA PROVIDES INPUT TO PATRICK TRANSITION TEAM

MDHA had the exciting opportunity to provide testimony on the state of oral health in Massachusetts to Governor-Elect Deval Patrick in early December. The Deval Patrick/Timothy Murray Transition Team’s Healthcare Working Group convened an open town meeting-style gathering to hear from concerned parties about issues affecting the health of the residents of our state. At least 75 individuals attended, representing a wide array of groups, although MDHA was the only group present to testify about oral health problems to the 10-member transition team and, thus, was able to focus attention toward ways that dental hygienists can help meet the demand for oral health care. This will be important as the transition team advises our new governor about the healthcare problems most requiring attention around our state.

Carolyn Wehler, a member of MDHA’s Council on Regulation and Practice, stressed the information presented in the Massachusetts Oral Health Report, produced by the Oral Health Collaborative (of which MDHA is a contributing member) and the Catalyst Institute, in which it is concluded that many residents lack easy access to routine oral health care and the greatest barriers exist among minorities, people with low income, the uninsured, and people with poor overall health. This report states that just under 20% of cities and towns in Massachusetts don’t have a dentist in the town and, of the towns with a dentist, more than half do not have a dentist who participates in MassHealth. MDHA emphasized that dental hygienists are an untapped resource and can help meet this demand by providing high quality preventive care in a cost-effective manner.

The group’s guiding principles are strongly in-line with MDHA’s: to promote public health, wellness, and prevention; implementing greater cost savings, quality, and affordability; addressing capacity issues; and full implementation of health care reform as a critical step toward an ultimate goal of ensuring health care for every man, woman, and child. We are confident that the testimony we presented will encourage the new administration to make sure that improving oral health care in Massachusetts is a priority.