Advocacy That Leads to Change
MDAC’s advocacy efforts have resulted in the passage of key legislation to improve access to oral healthcare, nearly every year since its founding. MDAC’s significant legislative achievements are part of its long-term strategy to address existing disparities in accessing care for every Marylander, regardless of age, income, or ethnicity.
Successes include:
- Advocated for and secured comprehensive dental coverage for adults enrolled in the Medicaid program.
- Expanded postpartum dental coverage.
- Assisted in passing the Healthy Babies Equity Act, providing comprehensive dental care to non-citizen pregnant women.
- Established the most robust network of adequacy requirements for private health plans in the country.
- Expanded the scope of practice of dental hygienists to include providing dental care to those in group homes, or medical daycare facilities, as well as co-locating in the practices of nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives and certified midwives for both prenatal and postpartum care.
- Engaged in activities centered on reimbursement rate increases for Medicaid dental services (2008, 2021, 2022).
- Partnered with the Maryland Community Health System to secure passage of HB1093/SB808, Health Insurance – Provider Panel Requirements, cutting time to credential new providers in half, thus, improving access to care in safety-net settings, strengthening workforce development, and increasing Medicaid provider participation by reducing credentialing barriers.
- Expanded Maryland’s Dent-Care Loan Assistance Repayment Program (MDC-LARP) to include part-time dentists and dental hygienists. This opportunity is available to providers whose patient base is at least 30% Medicaid beneficiaries.
Oral Health Literacy and Education
MDAC leads the development and monitors the progress of the Maryland Oral Health Plan which addresses Marylanders’ most critical oral health needs.
MDAC and its partners lead the way in educating the public and healthcare providers on the importance of oral health. These efforts include:
- Create and collaborate on programming and campaigns to promote healthy oral health habits in children and adults.
- Conduct statewide assessments and research to collect feedback on experiences accessing dental healthcare services in the community.
- Support educational initiatives for Latino and immigrant communities.
- Foster the integration of oral healthcare into the medical healthcare system.
- Present at and participate in statewide and national conferences and events addressing oral healthcare in marginalized communities.
- Research and development of data-based resources to support advocacy work and state policy change.
- Champion efforts to strengthen and expand Maryland’s dental workforce.
Interprofessional Collaboration
MDAC’s diverse partner network is a group of dedicated individuals and organizations working together to make changes in Maryland that have a lasting impact on the health of all Marylanders.
These efforts include:
- Conduct oral health outreach to care managers, coordinators, physicians, nurses and others who serve vulnerable communities.
- Organize biannual oral health summits and other topical events.
- Gather support for statewide oral health legislation.
- Convene workgroups for MDAC programs and initiatives.
