He went on to note that Governor Paul LePage of Maine and former Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, both Republicans, supported allowing mid-levels to practice. Dental therapists have been practicing in Minnesota since 2010 and will soon be able to practice in Maine. They also are serving thousands of people in some of Alaska's most remote communities.
Norquist told me he thinks it's inevitable that dental therapists will be able to practice in every state before long. When that happens, he said, "It's going to have significant pay off, not only for people trying to move ahead in their careers and for consumers who need dental care" but also for dentists, who, Norquist notes, will be able to spend more time doing more complex, higher end procedures.
Some dentists already understand that and are siding with Norquist in this effort. Norquist predicts that within 10 years--as more dentists come to understand how they can benefit economically--all 50 states will permit mid-levels to practice.
Author's Note: This blog post is part of a series examining America's oral healthcare crisis. Be sure to read the previous post, " Why America's Central Bank Is Concerned About Our Growing Dental Health Care Crisis."
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
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