AUGUSTA - The Legislature gave final approval on Monday to a measure from Rep. Anne-Marie Mastraccio, D-Sanford, to support Maine's dental care workforce by studying the feasibility of introducing a new degree program at the University of Maine at Augusta.
"So long as dental care remains inaccessible for many Mainers, we need to be taking steps to expand the workforce," said Mastraccio. "Establishing a dental therapy degree program would be a meaningful step in the right direction."
Dental therapists are dental hygienists who have continued their training and education at one of five accredited programs in the United States, none of which are located on the East Coast. These practitioners are licensed to provide dental exams, simple restorations, cavity diagnoses, cleanings and prevention education, particularly in areas with chronic routine dental care shortages.
Studies have shown that increasing the number of dental therapists in a practice is among the most effective ways to improve that practice's efficiency, optimizing time and resources," said Mastraccio. "There are dental hygiene practitioners all over Maine and New England who would be drawn to a program offered by the University of Maine at Augusta, attracting new folks to the state and strengthening our dental care workforce."
The bill now heads to the governor's desk.
Mastraccio is serving her fifth non-consecutive term in the Maine House of Representatives and is a member of the Legislature's Government Oversight Committee and the Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee. She represents House District 142, which includes a portion of Sanford and Springvale.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Mastraccio], c. 305-965-2744