Bill > LD2209

Introduced Session

This bill is reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services pursuant to Resolve 2025, chapter 107 to implement a recommendation from the Commission to Expand Access to Oral Health Care by Studying Alternative Pathways for Obtaining a License to Practice Dentistry. The joint standing committee has not taken a position on the substance of this bill. By reporting this bill out, the joint standing committee is not suggesting and does not intend to suggest that it agrees or disagrees with any aspect of this bill; instead, the joint standing committee is reporting the bill out for the sole purpose of having a bill printed that can be referred to a joint standing committee for an appropriate public hearing and subsequent processing in the normal course. The joint standing committee is taking this action to ensure clarity and transparency in the legislative review of the proposals contained in the bill. Based on the recommendation of the Commission to Expand Access to Oral Health Care by Studying Alternative Pathways for Obtaining a License to Practice Dentistry pursuant to Resolve 2025, chapter 107, the bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to consider the development of a hub-and-spoke model to expand access to dental services throughout the State and to explore options to establish dental specialist residency programs in the State, especially for pediatric dentists, oral surgeons and orthodontists. The bill requires the department to invite the participation of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, representatives from the University of New England College of Dental Medicine, the Maine Public Health Association, the Board of Dental Practice, the Maine Dental Association and the Maine Dental Hygienists' Association. The bill requires the department to submit a report that includes its findings and recommendations, including suggested legislation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health coverage, insurance and financial services matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters no later than February 15, 2027 and authorizes each joint standing committee to report out legislation to the 133rd Legislature in 2027.

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Hearing (10:00:00 3/4/2026 Cross Building, Room 220) (on 03/04/2026)

Official Document