The Clock is Ticking to Increase Access to Dental Care in Massachusetts – Take Action Today

Time is running out to expand access to dental care for Massachusetts residents in need. Help us ensure that the health of low-income children and adults, seniors, and people with disabilities is prioritized by asking your legislators to allow dental therapy in our state. Without adequate access to dental care, our most vulnerable populations are forced to seek relief through expensive visits to hospital emergency rooms, or worse, they choose no relief at all and suffer larger health consequences.

There is an innovative solution being considered by legislators that increases access to dental care for those who need it most. The proposal authorizes a new type of dental professional, similar to a nurse practitioner on a medical team, called a dental hygiene practitioner (DHP). Working under the supervision of a dentist, a DHP will deliver basic but critically necessary care to underserved populations in the state, performing procedures such as filling cavities, placing temporary crowns, and extracting loose teeth.

With more than 500,000 Massachusetts residents living in areas without sufficient access to dentists, there’s no time to wait. 

Urge your state legislators to protect our proposal in the state budget and allow DHPs to provide dental care in the Commonwealth. The future and health of so many in our state depend on it.