MA S2854

Creates a new "dental therapist" profession requiring a master's-level education from a Commission on Dental Accreditation-approved program, passage of a competency-based clinical exam, and 1,000 hours of direct supervision before practicing under general supervision with a supervising dentist

Dental therapists must work under a collaborative management agreement with a supervising dentist and at least 50% of their patient panel must be MassHealth members or underserved populations; supervising dentists are limited to agreements with 3 dental therapists at a time

Requires public schools to notify parents about the importance of oral health screenings using a standardized form developed by the Department of Public Health

Mandates community health workers receive oral health education as a condition of licensure and adds oral health education to their core competencies

Requires a 5-year evaluation by the Department of Public Health on dental therapists' impact on patient safety, cost-effectiveness, and access to care, plus annual reporting by the Center for Health Information and Analysis