RATIONALE:
Our state faces a critical issue that affects the health and well-being of all residents, especially the most vulnerable. In Hawai‘i, the prevalence of dental decay in children and adults is alarmingly high compared to other states. One of the key difficulties we are facing is the absence of a statewide system for tracking and addressing this issue, including the lack of a dedicated Department of Health oral health branch and state-funded infrastructure. Given these challenges, a statewide oral health task force is needed to address the pressing issue of poor oral health and to develop comprehensive strategies for prevention and treatment. This task force will play a crucial role in improving Hawaiʻi’s oral health outcomes.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
Public hearings are an opportunity for the public to weigh in on bills being considered by lawmakers. Submitting testimony for these hearings is an important way to let lawmakers know your position on these important issues. All you need to do is share why you are in strong support (we have some talking points below to get you started!). Each hearing may have different lawmakers, so you must submit testimony each time there is a new hearing.
Hearing Information
Bill: HB 2744
Position: Support
Committee: Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
Date/Time: Friday, March 15, 2024 at 1:00 PM
How to Submit Testimony
- Log-in /make an account on the Capitol website.
- Go to the page for HB 2744 and click on the “Submit Testimony” button.
- Upload or write your testimony in SUPPORT of the bill (It doesn’t need to be long!).
- Please submit testimony by Thursday, March 14 at 1:00 PM (at least 24 hours in advance) to ensure your testimony is received on time and reviewed by the committee members!
TALKING POINTS:
- Hawai‘i has the highest prevalence of dental decay in children and adults compared to other states.
- Low-income families, intellectually and developmentally disabled residents, kūpuna, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations, and neighbor island residents are disproportionately impacted by poor oral health.
- Lack of an in-state dental school, geographic isolation, lack of community water fluoridation, and systemic barriers are all contributors to our poor oral health status.
- With over 288,000 adults with Medicaid dental benefits, there is a lack of dental providers to meet the need for services among the population adequately.
- Hawai‘i’s Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) cared for approximately 40,000 dental patients in 20211, and often had long wait lists due to the limited facility and staffing capacity.
- Only 240 FQHC and general practice dentists are active in Medicaid in Hawai‘i.
- Hawai‘i does not currently provide the capacity or resources for a robust statewide oral health program.
Reference
- “Health Center Program Uniform Data System (UDS) Data Overview.” Data.hrsa.gov, data.hrsa.gov/tools/data-reporting/program-data?grantNum=H80CS06640. Accessed 24 Jan. 2024.