Health | Volunteer dentists, hygienists filling a need | Seattle Times Newspaper

Health | Volunteer dentists, hygienists filling a need | Seattle Times Newspaper:

63% of Kitsap County, Washington is fluoriodated: "Mills said she often struggles to secure emergency dental care for low-income residents in Kitsap County.

Though the county has 120 active dentists, 'trying to find a dentist to take one of our patients is almost impossible,' said Mills, who testified for the dental hygienists' bill."

"Earlier this year, the Washington State Dental Association succeeded in watering down a legislative proposal to loosen licensing rules for foreign-trained dentists, something supporters had hoped would plug a dire shortage of dentists.

The dentists also have been waging a lengthy turf battle with dental hygienists over whether hygienists should be allowed to perform routine cleanings without dentist supervision, in order to reach patients who might otherwise forgo dental checkups. And, state records show, most dentists won't accept poor and disabled patients covered by Medicaid."