|
CA DENTAL HYGIENISTS
CALL ON LEGISLATURE TO TACKLE EPIDEMIC
OF ORAL DISEASE AMONG CHILDREN, SENIORS & OTHER GROUPS
CDHA Urges Adoption
of AB 1334 & Dental Health Foundation Proposals
GLENDALE, Calif. (March 1, 2006) –
Responding to a recent report about the epidemic of tooth
decay among the state’s children, the California Dental
Hygienists’ Association (CDHA) today urged the legislature
and other policy makers to adopt measures to address the epidemic
of oral disease among children, seniors and other underserved
populations throughout California.
Specifically, CDHA called on lawmakers to both support legislation
the association is sponsoring and embrace an array of recommendations
proposed by the Oakland-based non-profit Dental Health Foundation
(DHF), which earlier this month released its report on the
dreadful state of children’s oral health.
“The foundation’s report is shocking in that
it revealed how California has remained frozen in time for
the past decade,” said Lin Sarfaraz, CDHA’s president.
“We’ve seen virtually no improvement in addressing
the severe problem of dental disease throughout our state.”
According to DHF’s recent report:
- Tooth decay remains a significant problem, especially
among children. By third grade it affects almost two-thirds
of the children in California.
- 28% - some 750,000 of elementary school children - have
untreated tooth decay.
- 4% - approximately 138,000 - need urgent dental care because
of pain or infection.
- The oral health of California’s children is substantially
worse than national objectives.
Of 25 states surveyed, only Arkansas ranked below California
in kids’ dental health.
The study, along with the fact millions of Californians possess
no dental health insurance, demonstrates the need for substantive
new measures.
Along these lines, CDHA applauded the California State Assembly
for passing Assembly Bill 1334 (Salinas), which seeks to free
up specially trained dental hygienists so they can better
meet the needs of such underserved populations as seniors,
low-income families and children.
“The Legislature needs to make dental health a top
public health priority,” said Sarfaraz. ”Our organization
is doing all it can to help accomplish that goal, which is
why passing AB 1334 is so critical.”
The bill, now awaiting a committee hearing in the Senate,
would remove a prescription requirement necessary for Registered
Dental Hygienists in Alternative Practice (RDHAP’s),
which is a professional category for dental hygienists with
advanced training that allows them to practice autonomously
in certain situations.
That requirement has proven to be a major barrier in two
critical ways. First, RDHAP’s are trained to provide
dental hygiene services to individuals who don’t have
access to a dentist; having a dentist is a prerequisite for
receiving a prescription in the first place. Secondly, dentists
sometimes refuse to write prescriptions for their patient
to see an RDHAP.
“It is scandalous that the California Dental Association
continues to protect its dental monopoly at the expense of
those who need care the most,” said Sarfaraz. “AB
1334 is necessary to expand critical access to care for millions
of Californians.”
The push for AB 1334 is in keeping with CDHA’s 20-year
history as the official voice of the dental hygiene profession
to expand access to care. Historically, CDHA has supported
legislation and other public policies intended to provide
greater autonomy and the independence necessary for dental
hygienists to provide care to those who need it most –
ethnic minorities, children, seniors and low-income populations.
---
The California Dental Hygienists' Association (CDHA) is
the authoritative voice of the state's dental hygiene profession.
While registered dental hygienists have worked in the state
for nearly a century, CDHA was established 20 years ago when
two regional associations merged to form a unified professional
group. CDHA represents thousands of dental hygienists throughout
the state and is dedicated to expanding opportunities for
the profession and access to care for all Californians.
- 30 -
|
