RDH news: Utah’s plan to ban fluoridated water, push for dental hand skills test, seven states adopt dental licensing compact

The dental industry is going through numerous changes and often times it is hard to stay informed. The editorial team has decided to start a new series, RDH News, to help our profession stay engaged in the issues impacting us every day.

This week we share the most recent updates on fluoride changes in Utah, the voice of the patient, and who is jumping on board of the compact initiative. All three topics may influence your patients.—Jackie Sanders, MBA, RDH, Chief Editor

Utah representatives push for removing fluoride from drinking water

Following the nationwide push for the EPA to address potential health risks associated with fluoridated water, the Utah Legislature may ban it outright.

In a 10-3 vote, the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee ruled against the addition of fluoride in public drinking water. Now, the decision is in the hands of the Utah House of Representatives.¹

Republican House representative Stephanie Gricius, told the committee: "We now have guidelines where we've been told these are not suitable, these can cause harm ... And so how do you adhere to a guideline when there is a risk of harm?"¹

The "harm" she is referring to is the National Toxicology Program (NTP)'s 2024 report correlating high levels of fluoride with lower intelligence scores in children. However, the Court ultimately noted that it "does not conclude with certainty that fluoridated water is injurious to public health."¹

Others are split on this decision-in terms of their reasons for the opposition and whether or not the bill should pass at all. Utah physician Dr. Sarah Woolsey claims fluoride is essential in preventing cavities in children, while Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott believes the cost of fluoridating water is simply too high to incur.

Patients overwhelmingly advocate for dental hand skills test

A recent poll conducted by the American Association of Dental Boards (AADB) reveals 82% of Americans oppose removing a hand skills test currently required by most states for dental professionals. Currently, hand skills tests are designed to demonstrate a dental professional's surgical prowess as well as their clinical knowledge.

According to the AADB survey (which consisted of 1,863 registered US voters), 83% of participants believe dentists should meet state-specific continuing education requirements, 69% believe current licensing standards should not be reduced, and 65% are against dentists licensed under weaker standards in other states practicing in their state.² This shows patients feel safer in the dental chair if they know their clinician is qualified enough to perform procedures with a minimal margin of error.²

Arthur Chen-Shu Jee, DMD, president of the Board of Directors of AADB, reiterated this point. He said: "As we consider changes to licensing, we must remember these vital exams directly impact patient safety and public trust in our profession."²

Dental licensing compact adopted by seven states

On a similar note, last week the AADB published a press release announcing that seven states are introducing legislation to join the Interstate Dental & Dental Hygiene Licensure Compact (IDDHLC), with others expected to follow suit.

Oklahoma, Missouri, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Texas, and Kentucky have taken a "significant step" towards improving workforce mobility by adopting this legislation, as the IDDHLC aims to keep patient safety a top priority and ensure state authority over dental regulations.³ This will be achieved by:

Addressing workforce shortages while maintaining care quality

Operating without imposing additional costs on states

Mandating full reporting of all disciplinary actions and criminal history with comprehensive information to protect patients³

On this, Chen-Shu Jee noted: "The IDDHLC upholds the highest standards of patient safety and professional competence while establishing a uniform criteria for dental standards, just like medical standards."³

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