Resolve, To Study Oral Health Care in Maine and Make Recommendations Regarding How To Address Maine's Oral Health Care Needs

Preamble. Whereas,  many Mainers face barriers to oral health care; and

Whereas,  parts of each of Maine's 16 counties have been identified as federally designated dental health professional shortage areas; and

Whereas,  there is no single answer to addressing Maine's oral health care needs; and

Whereas,  ongoing challenges to Maine's oral health care needs include reimbursement, geography, personal decisions, workforce issues and many other factors; and

Whereas,  the Legislature has in recent years sought to address Maine's oral health care needs through changes to the dental workforce and scopes of practice; and

Whereas,  no comprehensive study has been completed regarding Maine's oral health care needs or the effect of the legislative changes and evaluations of strategies to address the outstanding needs; and

Whereas,  this resolve directs the Legislature to contract with a qualified consultant to conduct a study of Maine's oral health care needs; now, therefore, be it

Sec. 1. Oral health care needs; study. Resolved: That the Legislature shall contract with a qualified consultant that has sufficient resources and experience to conduct a study of the State's oral health care needs that examines the type and geographic distribution of oral health care providers and analyzes barriers to oral health care in the State. The study must specifically examine:

1. Existing public and private financial resources for oral health care in the State;

2. Limitations on access to oral health care for citizens of the State;

3. The sustainability of public financing programs for oral health care;

4. The actual and projected dental workforce needs for the State; and

5. The effect of recent changes surrounding oral health care in the State, such as the development of a dental school based in the State, the creation of expanded function dental assistants, dental hygienists with public health supervision status and independent practice dental hygienists.

The study may reference or incorporate information from other relevant research; and be it further

Sec. 2. Funding. Resolved: That the Legislature shall seek outside funding to fully fund all costs of the study authorized in section 1. If sufficient outside funding has not been received by the Legislature by July 15, 2011 to fully fund all costs of the study, no expenses of any kind related to the study may be incurred. The study must be completed no later than October 1, 2011 and must be submitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development. After receipt and review of the study, the joint standing committee may report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 125th Legislature.

summary

This resolve directs the Legislature to contract with a qualified consultant that has sufficient resources and experience to conduct a study of the State's oral health care needs.