Maine Tackles Dentist Shortage with New Licensing Pathway for International Professionals
AUGUSTA, Maine – A growing nationwide shortage of dentists โis acutely felt in Maine, โฃleaving residents with โlimited access toโ crucial dental care.This summer,state lawmakers took action,passingโข legislation designed to streamline the licensing process for qualifiedโ dentists – particularly those trained internationally – and bolster the โstate’s dentalโฃ workforce.
The coreโฃ ofโ the newโฃ law centers aroundโค the creation of โขan “adjunct dentist license.” This โคpathway allows dentists who may not meetโฃ all traditional american educational requirements – a common hurdle for internationally-trainedโ professionals โ-โ to practice โunder the supervision of a fully licensed Maine dentist. A formal, written agreementโข will govern this supervisedโฃ practice.
“We’re finding difficulty inโ recruiting,” โexplains Danica Loring, of Penobscot County Health โฃCare.”Partially,it’s challenging finding people with ties to Maine who want to be here for the long term.”
Loring, who also serves on a committee established by theโค new law, highlighted the increasing โฃnumber of applicants โคPCHC receives from abroad. “They may not have an undergraduate โฃdegree, โขgoing directly intoโข dental school after secondary education,” she noted, a common educational pathway inโ many countries. โ
The new law isn’t simply a temporary fix. โAfter three years of practicing in good standing underโข an adjunct license, โคdentists โคwill be eligible for full licensure in Maine. Lawmakers and healthcare providers alike โhope this will considerably expand โthe pool โofโ potential candidates and accelerate theโ filling of critical dental care โgaps.
“We have beenโข trying to recruit the best providers,irrespective of where they were educated,”โ Loring stated. “Knowing โour โstaffingโฃ and candidate pools are โคlimited, we’ve โคbecome more focused on engaging with foreign-trained dentists – they are โฃthe applicants we are โคseeing.”
A commission โtasked withโค overseeingโ the implementation of the new law held it’s inaugural meeting this week and is expected to deliver โฃa extensive report by the end of the year. The hope is that this proactive measure will ensure Mainers have access to the dental care they need, now and in the future.
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