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Health Care Advisory Board asks county to refer dental therapy bills to legislative agenda
Summary
The county Health Care Advisory Board recommended support for state legislation authorizing dental therapists; the Board of County Commissioners accepted the report and referred the bills to the county lobbyist and Florida Association of Counties for consideration.
The Health Care Advisory Board presented its annual work plan and accomplishments and asked the county commission to refer two state bills that would license dental therapists to the county’s legislative agenda.
Leilani Doty, chair of the Health Care Advisory Board, outlined priorities including community health worker program oversight, monitoring of the East‑side urgent care clinic, and a push to expand dental access by supporting dental therapy legislation. Staff noted the draft House and Senate bills would authorize licensed dental therapists who work under the supervision of a Florida dentist and would expand Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement options for mobile dental units.
Commissioners agreed to accept the advisory board’s report and asked staff to forward the dental therapy bills to the county’s legislative lobbyist and to ask the Florida Association of Counties to consider the bills for association‑level advocacy. Commissioner Prizia said the board’s request could help address the state’s known dental access gaps.
Ending: Staff will work with the advisory board and county lobbyist to prepare legislative language and to coordinate with FAC and local legislators during the next session.
