Opinion: Preserving dentists’ role in oral health care
Peter S. Katz, D.M.D., chairman of the Connecticut State Dental Commission, argued that a new Connecticut bill could increase the risk of receiving lower-quality oral health care among patients in the state.
In an opinion piece from CT Mirror, Dr. Katz detailed that if H.B. 5503 is passed into law, dental hygienists with at least two years of experience would be permitted to provide care in private residences without the supervision of a licensed dentist or access to certain diagnostic tools.
Although the legislation is intended to expand access to oral health care, Dr. Katz emphasized that the bill’s language doesn’t guarantee safe, complete and optimal care outside of a controlled clinical environment. Instead, he suggested that the bill could “fragment care, reduce oversight, and lower diagnostic standards.” For instance, dental hygienists have limited roles in the dental team and aren’t as trained to diagnose and treat oral health issues as dentists. As a result, he stated that patients who receive this type of limited dental care alone may unknowingly forgo the full scope of care that all patients should receive — including comprehensive examinations using diagnostics that can catch oral health issues when they’re less advanced, more treatable and less costly.
Dr. Katz warned about the potential unintended consequences of the bill. Delays in diagnosis can lead to severe infections and systemic health issues, providing care in an uncontrolled and unsterile environment can introduce contamination to already vulnerable patients, dental hygienists will lack adequate dental devices, and malpractice or injuries could cause liability.
“If the state is committed to improving access to dental care, it should do so thoughtfully — by strengthening, not weakening, the systems that ensure patients receive comprehensive, coordinated treatment. This proposal does not meet that standard,” Dr. Katz concluded.
Read more: CT Mirror
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