GSDM Students Partner with MDS to Lobby for Dentistry at Beacon Hill Day 2016
On Wednesday, March 30, 2016, dentists and dental students from around New England descended on Beacon Hill for Beacon Hill Day 2016, an annual event coordinated by the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) where dental professionals come together to learn more about issues of concern to the dental community and to lobby their state legislators to take action on those issues. Several students from Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) took part in the events of the day.
The student participants are each paired with two dental professionals from the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS), with whom they spoke with legislators and aids about five different bills important to dental education and dentistry.
Before heading over to the State House, the 114 attendees—97 dentists and 17 dental students, 10 of whom were from GSDM—joined together at the Omni Parker House Hotel, where they were briefed on the five bills being discussed and the various consequences they have for dental education and the profession.
The students then met with legislators and legislative staffers to discuss the five bills important to dentistry in Massachusetts. The students participated in a total of 49 meetings.
The five bills were:
- Senate Bill 566, An Act relative to dental benefit plan transparency and patients’ Bill of Rights.
- Senate Bill 1118, An Act establishing an advanced dental hygiene practitioner level of practice.
- Senate Bill 2076, An Act establishing a dental hygiene practitioner level of practice.
- House Bill 2013, An Act relative to electronic health records.
- House Bill 2058, An Act relative to dentistry licensure examinations.
“The Massachusetts Dental Society has once again given students a wonderful opportunity to explore local issues while growing mentorships within MDS,” said Dave Lane DMD 16, member of the Legislative Committee for the GSDM chapter of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA).” “This year was especially exciting for student members because MDS took on licensure as one of their key issues, showing that student concerns are as great as those of dentist members.”
After meeting with legislators, students headed back to the Omni Parker House Hotel for a keynote address from Dr. Marko Vujicic, Chief Economist and Vice President of the Health Policy Institute at the American Dental Association (ADA). Dr. Vujicic presented on the economy of dental care in Massachusetts.
“I am proud of the students who attended Beacon Hill Day 2016,” said Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter. “It is important that our students are actively engaged in the legislative process. I hope they remain vocal with legislators throughout their dental careers so that oral health remains an important topic to law makers.”
GSDM students who participated in Beacon Hill Day 2016:
Dave Lane DMD 16; Garrett Wingrove DMD 17; Alexandra Ortega DMD 19; Katie Quan DMD 19; Mike Mayr DMD 16; and Parnian Paymozd-Yazdi DMD 17.