Legislative

The MDHA works hard to get legislators to advance YOUR dental hygiene career. See what bills we are backing and get involved TODAY by knowing who your legislator is, info on how to provide testimony, and do your part to help push dental hygiene related legislation through. Let the capitol hear YOUR voices! See all urgent actions below.

Find My Legislator

Follow MDHA Bills

Foreign-Trained Dentist Bill Information.

Watch Past President Sarah Crow interview Rashmi Pillia, a dental hygienist who is also a foreign trained dentist and her thoughts on H.3880 An ace relative to dental hygienist reciprocal licensure. H.3880 would allow foreign-trained dentists to receive a dental hygiene license WITHOUTtaking and passing competency board exams. MDHA wants clear verbiage added to this bill that would ensure the safety of our patients and profession.

Reach out TODAY to Public Health Chairs Sen. Julian Cyr and Rep. Majorie Decker to urge them to favorably report out 4 key bills to uplift the Dental Hygiene profession in Massachusetts!

The 2023-2024 Massachusetts legislative session is in full swing, and we need your help to keep our legislative priorities moving. Four priority MDHA bills are currently before the Joint Committee on Public Health and face an impending deadline:

S.1357/H.2241, An Act enabling trained dental hygienists to administer dermal fillers and botox (lead sponsors: Julian Cyr, Frank A. Moran, & Manny Cruz)
S.1379/H.2253, An Act to improve oral health for all Massachusetts residents (lead sponsors: Adam Gomez & Smitty Pignatelli)
S.1429/ H.2216, An Act relative to dental hygienists (lead sponsors: Michael O. Moore & Smitty Pignatelli)
H.2255, An Act relative to the sustainability of public health dental hygienists through adequate reimbursements (lead sponsor: Smitty Pignatelli)

S.1357/H.2241 would enable trained dental hygienists to administer dermal fillers and botox under the supervision of a dentist, enabling dental practices to provide an all-inclusive service for dental work and aesthetic treatments that simplifies medical visits and providers for patients.

S.1379/H.2253 would create a midlevel oral health practitioner called a “dental therapist” in Massachusetts and address the continued gap in oral healthcare access across the state. Dental Therapists would provide both preventive and basic restorative services to meet identified patient needs for the patients most in need of care.

We are also supporting S.1429/ H.2216, which would enable dental hygienists who have obtained a special permit and undergone the necessary training to administer nitrous oxide to patients while under the direct supervision of a dentist. H.2255 would allow public health dental hygienists (PHDHs) in Massachusetts to bill third-party insurance carriers for the services that they provide. As a result, this bill would increase the ability of patients on both public and private healthcare plans to access dental care in Massachusetts.

Now, We Need Your Help!

Committees must take action on bills by February 7th, 2024

Before this date, the Committee needs to hear from Dental Hygienists on why these pieces of legislation are critical to the work that you do every day.

To help advance this legislation, please use the template below to write to the Chairs of the Joint Committee on Public Health, Senator Julian Cyr ([email protected]) and Representative Majorie Decker ([email protected]). When sending your email, please also CC committee staff ([email protected]; [email protected])

THANK YOU for your support of MDHA and your profession!

Click Here for Email Template

Past Legislative Actions

MDHA is SUPPORTING: An Act relative to the sustainability of public health dental hygienists through adequate reimbursements (S.664) (click to read)

The hearing for S.664 has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 5 at 10:00 AM before the Joint Committee on Financial Services.

2023 – 2024 Legislative Priorities
H2241/S1357: An Act enabling trained dental hygienists to administer dermal fillers and Botox
SD2062 / HD3952: An Act Enabling Trained Dental Hygienists to Administer Dermal Fillers and Botox.
SD747 / HD111: An Act to Improve Oral Health for All Massachusetts Residents.
SD653 / HD1127: An Act Relative to the Sustainability of Public Health Dental Hygienists Through Adequate Reimbursements.
SD1594 / HD1814: An Act Relative to Dental Hygienists.