By Bob Katzen

The House approved and sent to the Senate a bill that supporters say would streamline the process for foreign-trained dentists to obtain a dental hygienist license in the Bay State. These dentists would have to have at least five years of experience as a dentist in their country and must have obtained a certificate of registration, certifying them as a dentist, from their country’s board of dental examiners or similar board.

Massachusetts would only license the dentist as a dental hygienist if it determines that competency requirements in the foreign country are equal to those required of applicants in the Bay State.

“This proposal would benefit immigrants who are foreign-trained dentists, providing them with an accelerated pathway towards a hygiene license and helping to alleviate the labor shortage in the field of dentistry,” said sponsor Rep. Tackey Chan (D-Quincy).

“Massachusetts continues to contend with a shortage of qualified dental hygienists, and this bill would create a new pipeline for foreign-trained dentists to help stem the workforce shortage,” said Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) President Dr. Abe Abdul. “Oral health is critical to overall health. Increasing the number of dental care providers translates into less wait times and greater availability of appointments for patients, allowing them to receive high-quality care.

“The Massachusetts Dental Hygienists Association (MDHA) is excited to collaborate with the MDS on crucial language in the legislation that enables foreign-trained dentists to take required exams and apply for dental hygiene licenses, said MDHA President Amanda Berthiaume. “We are committed to supporting these new hygienists by providing them with opportunities, through an MDHA membership, to help them succeed. This legislation is a first step in addressing the dental professional shortage in Massachusetts.”