American Dental Association's Justification?

Educated denturists are part of the oral health care team. The denturist profession needs the opportunity to serve those in need of removable dental prostheses and referral services. Chairtime for removables is demanding and needs to be freed up for children and emergencies.

The denturist profession needs to be independent from dentist's overhead in order to keep prices down and services available to those with disparities which includes an oral health exam for healthy tissue and if needed, referral services.

It's working in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Maine. The Arizona dental board has a freeze on the licensing of denturists in Arizona. The American Dental Association and affiliated state dental boards across our nation continues to suppress the denturist profession in other states by threatening to arrest and fine denturists such as they recently have done in California.

Denturists do NO invasive procedures or procedures which are irreversible and in most cases denturists guarantee their denture work with patient satisfaction or money back. Yet the ADA and state dental boards continue to allow oral piercing businesses to operate, turning their heads with fear of a backlash of protest from those involved. These procedures are extremely tissue invasive and in most cases irreversible with a greater chance of infection. Where is the justification?

Let denturists serve those we have been educated and trained to serve. Let denturists regulate our own on a national order so the people in need can have access and opportunity for an oral health care checkup and referral service along with a more affordable choice in denture care. What can be wrong with it?

Gary W. Vollan L.D.
www.wysda.org