IMMEDIATE ADVOCACY REQUESTED
The Massachusetts State Legislature just began the start of its new two-year session. MDHA is prioritizing FIVE pieces of legislation for the 2025-2026 session:
- An Act to improve oral health for all Massachusetts residents (HD1090/SD1697).
- An Act establishing the dentist and dental hygienist compact (HD1446/SD738)
- An Act relative to the sustainability of public health dental hygienists through adequate reimbursements (HD1103/SD1703).
- An Act enabling registered dental hygienists to administer nitrous oxide (HD2440/SD101).
- An Act enabling trained dental hygienists to administer dermal fillers and botox (HD855/SD1959)
We Need Your Help!
We want to ensure that as many Senators and Representatives as possible sign on to these bills as co-sponsors to showcase widespread support!
Please call or email your State Senator and State Representative TODAY!
You can find out who your state representative is by using Find My Legislator, or by calling (800) 462-VOTE.
Emailing your State Senator:
- Email your State Senator in the Massachusetts legislature, which can be found here. Click on the lawmaker’s name and it will take you to a page that has their email listed.
- Template Email – we encourage any additions to personalize this to your experience and your passion in the oral health field! Find downloadable Template below!
Calling your State Senator:
- Call your State Senator in the Massachusetts legislature (listed on Find My Legislator). Please note that most offices are in a hybrid format at this time, so calls may go to voicemail. In this case, follow the same instructions; staff will either listen and take note or call you back with any questions.
- What to say:
- I am calling on behalf of the Massachusetts Dental Hygienists’ Association (MDHA). As a Registered Dental Hygienist, and your constituent, I am asking you to sign on to five pieces of legislation that are important to me, my profession, and public health care access.
- Please co-sponsor legislation filed by Senator Jason Lewis (Senate Docket 1697) that would create a mid-level oral healthcare provider called a dental therapist who would provide much needed dental care to undeserved populations.
- Please co-sponsor legislation filed by Senator John Cronin (Senate Docket 738) that would enter Massachusetts into the Dentist and Dental Hygienist interstate compact, which has already been enacted in 10 states.
- Please co-sponsor legislation filed by Senator Jason Lewis (Senate Docket 1703) that would allow public health dental hygienists to bill third-party insurance carriers. Currently, PHDHs are only able to bill MassHealth for services provided, not private carriers, but they often serve both populations and are unable to be fully reimbursed.
- Please co-sponsor Senator Michael Moore’s bill (Senate Docket 101) which allows Massachusetts to join 35 other states that already allow dental hygienists to administer nitrous oxide with a special permit.
- And finally, please co-sponsor legislation filed by Senator Pavel Payano (Senate Docket 1959) that enables trained dental hygienists to administer dermal fillers and botox, which are already performed by many dentists.
- Thank them for their time. If they have any questions, and you are unsure of the answer, simply say you do not know but will call them back. Please contact Sandy Nicholas at [email protected], or our government affairs consultant Calli Masters at [email protected] to help you get the answer.
Calling your State Representative:
- Call your State Representative in the Massachusetts legislature (listed on www.wheredoivotema.com as “State Representative”). It is also fine to speak with an aide. Ask to speak to an aide who is dealing with bills related to healthcare. Please note that most offices are working in a hybrid format at this time, so calls may go to voicemail. In this case, follow the same instructions; staff will either listen and take note or call you back with any questions.
- What to say:
- I am calling on behalf of the Massachusetts Dental Hygienists’ Association (MDHA). As a Registered Dental Hygienist, and your constituent, I am asking you to sign on to five pieces of legislation that are important to me, my profession, and public health care access.
- Please co-sponsor legislation filed by Rep. Pat Duffy (House Docket 1090) that would create a midlevel oral healthcare provider in the Commonwealth who would provide much needed dental care to underserved populations.
- Please co-sponsor legislation filed by Rep. Bud Williams (House Docket 1446) that would enter Massachusetts into the Dental and Dental Hygienist interstate compact, which has already been enacted in 10 states.
- Please co-sponsor legislation filed by Rep. Pat Duffy (House Docket 1103) that would allow public health dental hygienists to bill third-party insurance carriers. Currently, PHDHs are only able to bill MassHealth for services provided, not private carriers, but they often serve both populations and are unable to be fully reimbursed.
- Please co-sponsor Rep. Sean Garballey bill (House Docket 2440) which allows Massachusetts to join 35 other states that already allow dental hygienists to administer nitrous oxide with a special permit.
- And finally, please co-sponsor legislation filed by Reps. Frank Moran and Manny Cruz (House Docket 855) that enables trained dental hygienists to administer dermal fillers and botox, which are already performed by many dentists.
- Thank them for their time. If they have any questions, and you are unsure of the answer, simply say you do not know but will call or email them back. Please contact Sandy Nicholas at [email protected], or our government affairs consultant Calli Masters at [email protected] to help you get the answer.
Once you’ve made your calls or sent your emails, please take one more moment to let us know what the response was by contacting our government affairs consultant Calli Masters, [email protected].
Thank you!
If you have questions about this legislation, or want any additional information on ways we are working to improve the quality of life of dental hygienists in Massachusetts and how we are working to improve access to oral healthcare throughout the state, please contact Sandy Nicholas at [email protected].