An Act to Conduct a Comprehensive Study of Oral Injuries in School Sports | S.1224

This legislation authorizes the Department of Public Health to conduct a comprehensive study of oral injuries in school sports and requires the department to develop strategic and legislative recommendations to reduce the incidence of oral injuries in school sports, including the mandatory use of protective mouth gear in all high-risk sports.

An Act Relative to Increasing Patient Choice Through the Assignment of Benefits | HD.4663

An Act Relative to Financial Services Contracts for Dental Benefits Corporations | H.1005/S.545

An Act Relative to Transparency of Dental Benefits Corporations | H.3557/S.544

This legislation would give the Division of Insurance (DOI) oversight of dental benefit plan premiums and fee reimbursements. All rate changes would be subject to the review and approval of the DOI.

The legislation requires dental benefits companies to submit medical loss ratio data to the DOI.

The legislation also prohibits carriers from granting third-party access to a provider network contract or a provider’s services and contractual discounts pursuant to a provider contract.

An Act to Improve Oral Health for All Massachusetts Residents | H.1916/S.1215

This legislation aims to increase access to care for underserved populations by creating a new class of midlevel dental professionals called dental therapists. 

The legislation includes commonsense requirements to protect patient safety by ensuring appropriate training and supervision of dental therapists. It requires master’s level training of licensed therapists and supervision by licensed dentists. It also requires that dental therapists work under direct supervision of a licensed dentist for the first 2,500 hours or first two years of practice, whichever is longer, and that at least 50 percent of their patients receive coverage through MassHealth or are considered underserved. 

Additionally, the legislation would require oral health education for community health workers, as well as a notification by all public schools to students' parents or legal guardians concerning the importance of oral health screenings.

An Act Relative to Dental Licensing Exams | H.4269

This legislation would eliminate the live patient component of dental licensure exams and direct the Board of Registration in Dentistry to approve an examination that does not require the performance of any procedure upon a live patient.

An Act Relative to Anesthesia Coverage for Children Hospitalized for Dental Treatment | H.1030/S.618

This legislation would require health care plans to provide coverage for anesthesia and outpatient treatment for dental care for children with disabilities, certain medical conditions, and all children under the age of six.

An Act Relative to the Restoration of MassHealth Adult Dental Benefits | H.1917/S.1212

This legislation would require the Division of Medical Assistance to cover all dental services that were included in the state plan or demonstration program in effect on January 1, 2002.

An Act to Provide Medicaid Coverage for Tobacco Cessation | H.1129/S.704

This legislation would close loopholes in the MassHealth tobacco cessation benefit and expand access to cessation counseling by allowing trained and approved dentists and behavior health practitioners to provide cessation counseling to patients on MassHealth, as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The MassHealth smoking cessation benefit was a huge success when it was introduced in Fiscal Year 2007, but certain providers, including dentists and behavioral health providers, were not included. Closing the loophole would enable certified professionals in these fields to counsel, and bill for, tobacco cessation for their MassHealth patients.

Other tobacco legislation includes An Act Regulating Flavored Tobacco Products, which would ban the sale of flavored tobacco products in Massachusetts, and An Act Protecting Youth from Nicotine Addiction.
 

An Act to Promote Healthy Alternatives to Sugary Drinks | H.2529/S.1709

This legislation would impose a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages that would be allocated to a new Children’s Health Promotion Fund administered by the Department of Public Health. Programs qualifying for funding include: Mass in Motion; the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund; a municipal grant program for the fluoridation of public water supplies; funding for the Department of Early Education and Care to support and promote nutrition programs for preschools, nursery schools, and childcare facilities serving low-income communities; programs educating the public about the health effects of consuming sugary drinks and promoting the consumption of tap water; a municipal grant program for the creation and improvement of water fountains; improvement of water quality and increasing water access in schools and municipal parks and facilities; and other evidence-based methods of improving children’s health and wellness.

An Act Relative to Pupil Dental Health | H.1891

This legislation would require each child to receive a dental screening prior to entering kindergarten.