Page 94 - 2021 AGD ADVOCACY

History Part 5 – cont.

The Global Literature and what the evidence says and doesn't say

• This could be a "boilerplate" opposition letter or testimony against a Bill to License Dental
Therapists:

• If it has been predetermined that the state's effort is aimed to address the dental needs of

disadvantaged and underserved communities and populations throughout the state,

• and if it is expected that dental therapists need to be added to the dental workforce to get this job
done,

• then the bill must employ mechanisms that acknowledge established best-practices regarding who
enters the workforce, how they are educated and trained, and how they are distributed.

• At least, the bill must avoid employing mechanisms with a history of enlarging the workforce but
failing to address the care needs of our society's most disadvantaged sectors.

• This bill, unfortunately, will fail to primarily address the needs of society's most disadvantaged
sectors because it employs mechanisms with a 60+ year history of failing, ie, this bill will support the
status quo.

• This bill will predictably succeed in enabling the most enhancement of access to care for those who
need the least enhancement, while predictably bringing the least enhancements to those who need
the most.