Denturists as Midlevel Oral Healthcare Providers

Regarding the link from Dr. Bicuspid.com,titled Bill would allow Calif. to study midlevel providers By Editor Donna Domino, http://www.drbicuspid.com/index.aspx?d=1&sec=sup&sub=pmt&pag=dis&ItemID=309631&wf=1095 Padilla’s SB 694 includes the following; “The research parameters of the study shall include public health settings, multiple models of dentist supervision, multiple pathways of education and training, and multiple dental providers, including dentists and nondentists.” We are in need of midlevel dental and oral health care providers that are independent and not subject to the American Dental Association policies. If ADA and its state constituents are so concerned about public safety; then pitch in some of the millions of dollars used for lobbying against competitors, and use it for education and training, the most important three words in SB 694. If corporate ADA would quit squeezing out competition it would free up more chairtime for children, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dental procedures but instead, the ADA and its state constituents lobby federal and state legislators to disregard legislation that would regulate the denturist profession in many states that include Kentucky, Oklahoma and Wyoming. The ADA and its state dental associations spend money to persecute denturists. It was just a year or two ago the California Dental Association sent letters to qualified and reputable denturist throughout California threatening felony prosecution if they didn’t close their denturist practices. Some had been established for decades. This is ridiculous. Please see 2nd link. Most dentists want nothing to do with dentures due to chairtime being consumed by problematic cases and procedures. In most cases it comes down to dentists charging for adjustments, discouraging patients from returning. This practice is unethical. The ADA lobbied for exclusion of language to expand the Dental Health Aide Therapists (DHAT’s) programs. The American Dental Association, wasted money fighting Alaska and lost; trying to prevent DHAT’s from providing dental services to Natives of Alaska living in remote areas. ADA lobbies to suppress dental hygienists from having independent boards and practices. A few states like Maine and California; dental hygienists have recently gained their independence. This enables the dental hygienist to better serve public health interests. Dental Therapists (DT’s) were created by the American Dental Association after the fact; Dental Health Aide Therapists (DHAT’s) were created as an independent practice for Alaskan Natives in Alaskas rural areas. Dental Therapist will work under the dentist supervision; in the same way a dental hygienist does in states not recognizing independence for hygienists. DT’s will have little impact on reducing the cost of dental care for the consumer. Dental Therapists and Dental Health Aide Therapists are two different professions with different responsibilities and work settings, DT’s within the dentist’s office and DHAT’s outside the dentist’s office via teleconference and video cams. Minnesota, so far is the only state with DT’s and Alaska is the only state with DHAT's. Please consider the following links; the third being from the Minnesota Dental Board, regarding Dental Therapists and the forth about Dental Health Aide Therapists. The ADA’s self-serving political agenda is hurting consumers by suppressing qualified competitors that provide oral health care services to those with disparities. The American Dental Association works against its own vision and mission statement by suppressing competition that has been trained and educated in providing oral health care services to those that are unable to pay the high prices charged by dentist, leaving Americans without needed dental care. Free up chairtime by using the oral healthcare workforce that is trained, educated, and available. We can’t even get ADA’s exclusive CODA to approve our only denturist program at Bates Technical College, in Tacoma, Washington, (please see link #5) which is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. Please see accreditation under same link. Corporate ADA has the power and the money to change the current oral health care delivery system for the better if Americans would speak out against the American Dental Associations deceiving and pacifying public relations campaign for a better public image. Gary W. Vollan L.D. State Coordinator, Wyoming State Denturist Association 1.www.wysda.org 2. http://www.sfweekly.com/2010-09-29/news/prosecutors-frown-on-guy-who-makes-dentures-for-ex-cons/ 3. http://www.dentalboard.state.mn.us/Default.aspx?tabid=1165 4. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wkkf.org%2F~%2Fmedia%2FF2E86B5717174D2E9311359902DF7216.ashx&ei=RSoJT4z9DoLSiAK2g_yrBQ&usg=AFQjCNHqT9Dmfw7WG194N-Aw9xZKkB-a2A&sig2=8GUIJtr3416NhFGS17QfmQ 5. http://www.bates.ctc.edu/page.asp?view=153