The bill aims to improve oral health for all Massachusetts residents by mandating public schools to inform parents about the importance of oral health screenings and establishing a standard notice from the Department of Public Health. It introduces licensed dental therapists who can administer certain medications under the supervision of licensed dentists, detailing their licensure requirements, including education, examinations, and collaborative management agreements. The legislation also focuses on increasing access to preventive dental services for underserved populations and modifies existing laws to facilitate the integration of dental therapists into the healthcare system while ensuring oversight from licensed dentists.

Additionally, the bill requires employers of dental therapists to submit annual reports on patient demographics, particularly the percentage of underserved patients, and authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish penalties for non-compliance by January 1, 2027. It expands definitions within the General Laws to include "oral health education" as a core competency and mandates community health workers to receive oral health training for licensure. The definition of "health care provider" is amended to include dental therapists, and a five-year evaluation of the impact of dental therapists on patient safety, cost-effectiveness, and access to services is mandated, with reports to be submitted to legislative committees and annual updates from the Center for Health Information and Analysis.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 94C-7, 111-4O, 112-43A, 112-259, 112-260