MARCH 2018
(left to right) WDA representatives President-Elect Dr. Pat Tepe (Verona), past-president Dr. Mike Kaske (Twin Lakes) and President Dr. Dave Clemens (Wisconsin Dells) testify about their experiences working with EFDAs in the military and public health and how they would incorporate these new dental team members into their current practices.
Issue Update:
Expanded Function Dental Auxiliaries (EFDAs) AB 749/SB 635
The Assembly has passed Assembly Bill 749. Its companion, Senate Bill 635, has had a hearing. We are advocating for a vote by the state Senate on their last planned session day, March 20.
AB 749/SB 635, authored by Rep. Mary Felzkowski (R-Irma) and Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point), would allow for the use and training of Expanded Function Dental Auxiliaries, or EFDAs (EFF-da), in Wisconsin.
In use around the United States for more than 40 years, EFDAs are another member of the dental care team, like a hygienist or an assistant, to which the dentist can delegate certain procedures.
Use of EFDAs allows all members of the care team to practice at the top of their scope — doing the most advanced work they have been trained to do. Additionally, academic research from states like Colorado and Ohio, where EFDAs are used, shows these team members make dental offices more efficient which allows for care to be provided to a greater number of patients without sacrificing quality.
In addition to dental practices in individual states, the military has been using EFDAs as a high-quality, cost-effective method to treat service members for decades.
Issue Update:
Dental Medicaid Pilot Program
In the 2015-17 state budget, legislators approved a Medicaid pilot program increasing the rates paid to dentists for seeing MA patients in Brown, Marathon, Polk and Racine counties.That pilot went live on Oct. 1, 2016.
Since that time, WDA has been working with the Department of Health Services and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute to gather data about how many new dentists are signing up to participate in the program and how many patients are being seen in these counties.
We are encouraged that 65 new dentists signed up as of Jan. 31, 2018, and that DHS estimates all of the $16 million allocated for the pilot will be spent.This fall, the UW Population Health Institute will issue a report measuring the pilot's first two years and its effect on access to care.
WDA has produced two videos (private practice and Brown County Oral Health Partnership) highlighting dentists and patients in Brown County who have been positively affected by the pilot.Testimonials from Racine County are in the works, and will be distributed to the Legislature upon completion. Watch for these, and more, during the off season!
Visit, volunteer at 2018 WDA Mission of Mercy
The WDA and WDA Foundation will host their ninth Mission of Mercy at the Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park on June 22 and 23 with enough equipment and volunteers donating their time and expertise to provide upwards of $1 million in charity care to an estimated 2,000 people in need.
We’ve been honored to have legislators and staff members tour, and even volunteer, at previous MOM events. We look forward to seeing more of you in West Allis - just west of Milwaukee.
Please email Matt Rossetto to schedule a tour of the MOM clinic and/or volunteer on June 22 or 23 (clinic setup is June 21).
More than 13,715 children and adults have received in excess of $9.18 million in donated care at WDA Mission of Mercy events since 2009.
Dental professionals donate $70,233 in Give Kids A Smile® care
So far in 2018, 164 children from low-income families across the Badger State have received approximately $70,233 in dental care and oral hygiene instruction during 25 Give Kids A Smile® events. Unfortunately, some of this February's GKAS® events were cancelled due to severe weather across the state.
Wisconsin dentists, dental team members, students and community volunteers have donated more than $9.2 million in needed care to more than 71,000 children since 2003 as part of this national dental access outreach initiative.
   
  
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