Tell legislators Washington needs Dental Therapy!

Oral health is vital to overall health. Yet for too many Washington families, timely and routine oral health care is out of reach.

Nearly 400,000 Washington kids covered by Apple Health don’t see a dentist each year.

Washingtonians of every background need high-quality, timely and routine oral health care performed by a team of licensed dental professionals: dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants and — if authorized by state lawmakers — dental therapists.

Across the state, 37 out of 39 counties have too few dental professionals to meet local needs. People with special needs,
elderly people in nursing homes, parents in low-income families and communities of color, and people who live in rural and Tribal communities are feeling the worst effects of our shortage of providers.The high-quality care provided by dental therapists can help solve this shortage.

Its time to take action and ask legislators: Why are Washington State's children and communities still waiting for the care dental therapists can provide?

Support Dental Therapy with HB 1317!

Contact your elected officials below!

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Subject:

Please support statewide Dental Therapy with HB 1317!

Dear Official,

House Bill 1317 authorizes dental therapists to provide community-based, culturally competent care all across Washington state. Please vote YES on House Bill 1317.

Right here in our district, your constituents are struggling to access dental care. In fact, over four million Washingtonians live in counties that are Federally Designated Health Professional Shortage Areas for Dental Care. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Last year, the most definitive study of dental therapists at work in Alaska was released by the University of Washington. Among other promising outcomes, the study found that in areas where dental therapists were practicing, they saw a reduction in the number of children needing their four front teeth extracted, as well as fewer children needing procedures that require general anesthesia.

As someone who cares about the wellbeing of kids and families in our district, making this provider accessible to our communities is a priority for me and I hope it is a priority for you too.

Dental therapists have practiced safely and effectively in the United States for more than 10 years, igniting national momentum for dental access. Dental therapists are practicing or authorized to practice in seven states including Arizona, which passed legislation in 2018 in order to address their serious oral health care needs. Dental therapy is also being practiced successfully in Washington tribal settings. That’s a great step in the right direction, but I urge you to make this evidence-based model accessible to all Washingtonians.

Please support House Bill 1317, and influence your colleagues to do the same, to improve dental care access in our state!

Regards, Your Name

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