There is a serious need to improve oral health and access to routine dental care, particularly in Florida’s rural and underserved communities.

The connection between oral health and overall health is critical. Improving oral health is an urgent issue in our state that requires immediate action to provide care and relief to those who need it most. As Florida’s advocate for oral health, the Florida Dental Association champions solutions to better leverage Florida’s robust dental workforce to provide care where it is needed.

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DID YOU KNOW?

One-third of all cancer patients develop complications of the mouth, making dentists a critical part of cancer care teams.

Florida's Action for Dental Health

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In 2015, the Florida Dental Association launched Florida’s Action for Dental Health, a comprehensive initiative to improve the oral health and overall health of all Floridians. Through Florida’s Action for Dental Health, the Florida Dental Association has championed and engaged in a range of efforts to improve oral health and access to routine dental care services by better utilizing Florida’s existing dental workforce.

  • Promote attainable dental care for the uninsured and underserved in Florida.
  • Collaborate to maximize the current dental workforce to optimally provide Floridians with oral health education, preventive care and treatment services.
  • Expand opportunities for public health dentistry to serve Floridians.

Key Florida’s Action for Dental Health Initiatives

  • Florida Dental Student Loan Repayment Program
  • Florida Donated Dental Services
  • Florida Mission of Mercy
  • Veterans Dental Care Grant Program
  • Funding for Dental in Florida’s Medicaid Program

Florida Dental Student Loan Repayment Program

In 2019, the Florida Legislature and Governor Ron DeSantis passed Florida’s dental student loan repayment program into statute (381.4019). However, funding is needed to implement this program.  

Funding Florida’s dental student loan repayment program will immediately help bring more dentists to rural and underserved areas by providing dental student loan support to those who practice in these areas serving recipients of Medicaid and low-income patients. Participating dentists can help meet their dental student loan obligations while establishing long-term roots and patient bases in these communities. Similar state and national programs have proven successful in attracting dentists to serve in public health dentistry in rural and underserved areas. 

Florida Donated Dental Services

In 2019, Florida Donated Dental Services was passed into Florida statute (381.40195). This program matches volunteer dentists with patients who are elderly, have special needs, or are medically compromised. Patients in this program are provided ongoing, comprehensive dental services in volunteer dentists’ practices, with support from volunteer dental labs to provide crowns, bridges, etc. Since 1997, more than 2,100 of Florida’s most vulnerable patients have received over $10.5 million worth of donated dental treatment services.  

Funding Florida’s Donated Dental Services would help to expand this program and eliminate the current 500+ patient waiting list.  

Florida Mission of Mercy

Since 2014, the FDA Foundation’s Florida Mission of Mercy has provided more than 13,00 patients with donated dental care valued at more than $13.8 million. This two-day dental clinic event is held each year in a different city, bringing volunteer dentists and dental team members from across the state to provide care at no cost to patients. Patients receive oral health education, preventive care, treatment and relief from dental infections and pain that might have otherwise caused them to seek care at hospital emergency departments.  

Veterans Dental Care Grant Program

The Florida Dental Association supports the creation of a Veterans Dental Care Grant Program administered through the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs and funded by the state at $5 million. Currently, unless a veteran is 100% disabled or has a direct service-connected injury impacting their oral health, they do not quality for dental care once they leave active duty. The Veterans Dental Care Grant Program would allow eligible nonprofit organizations, that have experience providing free dental care to veterans, to apply for funding to expand their programs to help more veterans receive dental treatment.

Funding for Dental in Florida’s Medicaid Program

The Florida Dental Association supports solutions to improve the oral health and utilization of care for Florida patients served through Medicaid. That includes increased funding for dental in our state’s Medicaid program, which is currently ranked lowest in the country in terms of funding.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children, and tooth pain is the #1 reason kids miss school.

Local Low-Cost and No-Cost Dental Resources

Florida’s dental industry is already at work in your community. Search for your county to find a list of local dental resources for your constituents.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Florida has a workforce of more than 14,000 active dentists, with more than 300 dental school students graduating annually.

Florida Mission of Mercy

Each year, the Florida Dental Association Foundation hosts the Florida Mission of Mercy, a two-day dental clinic event providing critical dental care services to thousands of patients who might otherwise go without care or seek care from the emergency department.