Wednesday a bill "to DO harm" may be passed...

One of the more frightening bills I've heard of this session is coming up for a vote in a Senate committee this Wednesday at 12:30 p.m.

The bill, S.F. No. 2895, would allow dental hygienists to open their own offices, extract, drill and fill teeth. While these procedures are often seen as routine, they are definitely not without risk to the patient. '

This legislation is being flown through without understanding of the implications and great threat to the public health when medical procedures are placed in the hands of non-physicians.

The Democrat Legislature's agenda to take the health care system out of the hands of physicians and give it to the government and insurance agencies .... groups that do not take the oath "to do no harm," groups whose sole concern is the bottom $ line.

Stop for a moment and think - even I, a lay person - understand the proximity of the sinus cavity, the brain, and the vast nervous system that surrounds the jaw ... and there is so much more that can be impacted, exposed to infection and more....

It seems ridiculous to remind lawmakers, but there is a great difference in the degree earned by hygienists and the degree earned by doctors of dental surgery.

Yes hygienists are professionals and an extreme asset to dentistry, but even the degree and experience of an "advanced" hygienist does not include the medical training, study and internship that must be passed to become a dentist.

Still, it seems there's a full court press to pass this, but the public has not been informed or reminded of the severe health implications here.

Here is the report from the non-partisan MN Dental Association:

"On Monday, March 3, 2008, both the MDA dental access bill (HF3254/SF3122) and the Advanced Dental Hygiene Practitioner (ADHP) bill (HF3247/SF2895) were heard in the Senate Health Housing and Family Security Committee. ...

"The committee took up the ADHP bill first and Sen. Lynch, author of the bill, was gracious, too, in that she let the opposition to her bill, which was the MDA, testify first as to our concerns to her bill. Testifying in opposition to the bill for the MDA were Dr. Robert Brandjord, Dr. Scott Lingle, Dr. Donna Stenberg, Dr. Joe Grayden (Community University Health Care Clinic) and three University of Minnesota dental students, Patty Stone, CJ Nelson, Lisa Abeln.

"Our testimony in strong opposition to the ADHP was very compelling. This was the second time some of presenters had testified, so they were well-prepared for questions and made convincing arguments. Interestingly, two Senators who were originally supporters of the ADHP bill spoke up just before the recorded vote to say they had problems with the bill. One was Sen. Prettner-Solon (Duluth) and the other was Sen. Wergin (Princeton). Sen. Wergin was the MDA’s hero that evening as she asked Senator Lynch many pointed, tough questions about the bill. Sen. Wergin had received many calls from dentists in her district that day, which allowed her to have a better understanding of some of the MDA’s serious concerns with the bill.

"The proponents spoke after we finished. The committee members heard from the community clinics, specifically, Mike Scandrett and Dr. Tony DiAngelis from HCMC. Other testifiers included a dental hygienist from Sen. Lynch’s district of Rochester and several others from the “Safety Net Coalition.”

"About 75 U of M dental students packed the large hearing room, many of them in their bright-colored scrubs. Their visibility definitely had impact, as two Senators, Torres-Ray and Erickson-Ropes, addressed them briefly during their committee comments against the ADHP. It was standing room only for the three-plus hours of testimony and the students were fabulous, staying until the bitter end, reinforcing to committee members how serious they took this legislation and the Senators’ actions.

"In the end, the ADHP bill did move to the next level, but as proof that there are still many issues of grave concern, the committee passed the bill to Sen. Linda Berglin’s Finance Committee to allow for further discussion, even though there is no fiscal impact to the bill. The Senators were giving the stakeholders a message – work something out or we will work it out for you.

"At this juncture, we’re still working as hard as we can, educating and lobbying legislators of our concerns on the many sections of the ADHP bill, including the issues of access, supervision, program accreditation and liability."