Florida House Passes Dental Therapy Legislation
Zero dentists, rising ER visits … Will dental therapists fix Florida’s access crisis or spark new concerns?
Florida’s dental workforce shortage has moved to the center of legislative debate, as the House passed HB 363 to establish dental therapists as a new mid-level practitioner between dentists and dental hygienists. The bill comes amid stark access disparities: Dixie and Gilchrist counties currently have no licensed dentists, and several other regions fall well below recommended provider-to-population ratios. Millions of Floridians live in federally designated dental health professional shortage areas, where routine care is difficult to obtain.
Supporters argue that dental therapists could help bridge this gap by expanding the workforce more quickly than traditional dentist pipelines allow. Under HB 363, dental therapists would be licensed and regulated by the Department of Health and overseen by the Board of Dentistry. Their scope would include administering local anesthesia and nitrous oxide, performing limited nonsurgical extractions, and providing a range of restorative and preventive services under dentist supervision. Proponents also point to rising emergency department use for dental-related conditions, which has led to significant hospital costs and highlights gaps in preventive and routine care.
Opponents, however, caution that access solutions should not come at the expense of training rigor or patient safety. Critics raise concerns about the level of education and clinical experience required for dental therapists compared to dentists, particularly when procedures such as extractions and anesthesia are involved. They argue that alternatives, such as expanding loan repayment programs, increasing Medicaid reimbursement, strengthening residency pathways, and incentivizing dentists to practice in underserved areas, would address shortages without altering clinical standards.
For dentists and dental hygienists, the debate reflects broader questions about workforce models, delegation, and the future structure of dental teams. While HB 363 also proposes expanded Medicaid reimbursement for mobile dental clinics, its long-term impact remains uncertain, especially without a companion Senate bill. Click here to read more.
