LETTERS: DENTAL HYGIENISTS SEEK RULE CHANGE

To the editor:

As a student member of the American Dental Hygienists Association, I am interested in the activities as well as the concerns of my future professional organization.

Dental hygienists throughout Illinois have been visiting their legislators to talk about the 50 percent of Americans who do not receive regular oral-health care because the current law under which licensed hygienists must practice creates a barrier to access to preventive care for many segments of the Illinois population.

Increased access to care is needed throughout Illinois to provide unmet preventive care to the poor, elderly, disabled and those who live in rural areas. Additional providers are needed to aid programs for children. The No. 1 barrier in Illinois to access to oral-health care is the restrictive supervision laws for dental hygienists.

The current direct-supervision law in Illinois requires the dentist to not only authorize routine preventive oral care, but also to be physically present while it is being performed. A less restrictive form of supervision is called general supervision, which is already in place in 34 other states. Under general supervision, the dentist authorizes the hygienist to perform the procedure, but the dentist would not need to be present in the treatment facility while the care is delivered.

Oral health is an integral part of a patient's total health. The Illinois Dental Hygienists Association is eager to be a catalyst in improving the access to preventive oral care because they are licensed and educated to provide safe, effective, quality care to the citizens of Illinois.

BOBBI BOWEN

Jackson