2025 WDA Legislative Priorities
ENSURING PATIENTS CAN ACCESS AND USE THEIR DENTURE BENEFITS – Denturists in Washington State have struggled to get recognized by insurance companies. Two laws in Washington already deal with how denturists should be treated by insurance companies. RCW 48.43.280 states that if the person has a denture benefit and the benefit would have been paid for if a dentist did the work, the insurer must pay the denturist for the same work. RCW 48.43.745 requires insurers covering dental to permit licensed denturists to provide the dental services within their scope even if they are a network plan. Despite these laws, denturists are still fighting to be paid for their work by insurers, and patients with denture benefits are often paying out of pocket to get the work done by the professional they know and trust.
This year WDA is hoping to SUPPORT HB 1535/SB 5351 – Ensuring patient choice and access to care by prohibiting unfair and deceptive dental insurance practices. SB 1535/SB 5351 are important since they shine a light on issues within the dental insurance industry. However, the bills must be amended to include denturists to ensure dental insurance works for all providers who perform the work within their scope and all patients can be assured of using their full dental benefits.
PRESERVE THE ADULT DENTAL MEDICAID PROGRAM – More than one million Washington adults are covered by Apple Health. We know from experience that reducing or eliminating the program has dire consequences for enrollees, and it takes years to rebuild the program after it is restored. Medicaid adult dental was cut in 2011. By the time it was restored in 2014, many patients faced an accumulation of costly, severe problems, including long-term pain, broken teeth, tooth abscesses, unnecessary extractions, and gum disease. In addition, while low-income patients without a dental benefit were able to get problem teeth removed in emergency rooms, they were given no means to replace their missing teeth, such as with dentures.
Proper dental care and replacement of missing teeth through dentures is often a key to helping people feel confident to obtain and keep employment. This confidence and ability to get a job can help them move off Medicaid in the future. We also need consistent adult dental coverage to ensure providers can participate in the program and maintain the stability of our community health center system. A comprehensive Apple Health adult dental benefit is also critical for the sustainability of dental education programs needed to address our workforce challenges.
GROW THE DENTURIST WORKFORCE – It is important that the Legislature look to sustain and increase the dental workforce. This includes funding of the denturist training program at Bates Technical College and and inclusion of denturist pathways with other dental training programs. Students looking to get into the dental field should be able to seamlessly choose denturism as an option for their professional career. In addition, encouraging more dental focused CTE in our high schools that includes the pathways to pursue a denturist degree/license, will help expand this important career in our state and improve access to care for Washingtonians.