Teledentistry: Passing a teledentistry law that ensures the safety and well-being of Georgians is a major priority. Any law that is passed must include a provision requiring a bona-fide dentist-patient relationship with a Georgia-licensed dentist prior to a teledentistry interaction. Medicaid: Recent history suggests that support for public insurance in the state of Georgia, particularly as relates to adequate reimbursement for services rendered, must be constant. We annually advocate for increasing reimbursement rates to levels that are a fair price, equivalent to the cost of providing dental care plus the value of a dentist’s professional judgment. We seek to ensure that ongoing conversations about reform to the Medicaid program, including expansion under the Affordable Care Act, consider the need to adequately reimburse providers, ensure the quality of care, and support access to care for Georgians who need it. Statewide Continuing Education Tracking: Opportunities to reduce administrative burden without compromising care quality are always welcome, and creating a central tracking system for dentists to manage their continuing education documentation is just that. Preserving Existing Funding: Georgia has several programs designed to help support workforce development and to fill gaps in care. Dental-focused ones include the Dentists for Rural Areas Assistance Program, Georgia Dentist Education Loan Repayment Program, and Donated Dental Services Program. We aim to ensure continued funding for these and other programs that help support our dental workforce. Protecting Water Fluoridation: The 2024 session put conversations about water fluoridation back on the map. We are taking steps to remind the public, legislators, and our members of the significant public health benefits of community water fluoridation. We will oppose any legislation that seeks to remove Georgians’ access to optimally fluoridated water. Expansion of Scope: We are committed to protecting the integrity of the dental profession. The Georgia Dental Association (GDA) believes that the dentist is the leader of the dental team and should be in control of how s/he practices dentistry and the current dental delivery model provides for the most optimal oral health care for Georgians. Expanding the scope of provider responsibilities, as well as reducing required levels of direct supervision, is a frequently proposed solution for expanding access to care, but these kinds of proposals should never be undertaken in ways that jeopardize patient safety nor in inherently impractical ways, creating unnecessary costs or failing to address root causes of access issues. As in the past, we will oppose any legislation that fails to meet these criteria. License Portability: With the advent of the newly forming Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact, addressing license portability is a priority. As always, license portability must be balanced with patient safety and quality of care, and we will oppose any legislation that seeks to make the process of obtaining a license to practice dentistry less rigorous at the expense of patient safety. We will pursue avenues for licensure portability that reduce administrative burden while promoting high-quality patient care. 2025 Legislative Agenda Optimal oral health is essential to overall health. That’s why Georgia Dental Association continues to advocate for member dentists and their patients throughout Georgia. Upcoming in 2025, our focus will be on driving policy change to improve and protect the oral health of Georgia residents. 34 | Nov 2024
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Nzc3ODM=