Sen. Bailey to chair the second meeting of the Commission to Expand Access to Dental Care

Posted: October 21, 2025 | Senator Bailey

AUGUSTA — On Wednesday, October 22, Sen. Donna Bailey, D-Saco, will convene the second meeting of the Legislature’s Commission to Expand Access to Oral Health Care by Studying Alternative Pathways for Obtaining a License to Practice Dentistry. This summer, Senate President Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick, appointed Sen. Bailey to chair the Commission. The first meeting took place on October 8, 2025.

The Commission will meet at 10 a.m. in the Health and Human Services Committee Room (Room 209) at the Burton M. Cross Office Building in Augusta. Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting in person. It will also be livestreamed online at legislature.maine.gov/Audio/#209. 

At this meeting, the Commission will review:

  • Pathways to licensure for dentistry in Massachusetts
  • Barriers to licensure for foreign-trained dentists
  • Integration of New Mainers into the workforce
  • MaineCare dental enrollment, reimbursement and initiatives

The Commission is tasked with studying how to integrate foreign-trained dentists and out-of-state dentists into the dental care workforce. It will review the best practices that other states have used to address the shortage of dentists in their states. As a result of its work, the Commission could recommend changes to state laws and rules that pose unnecessary barriers for these dentists to enter Maine’s workforce. It will provide a report to the Legislature’s Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee no later than Dec. 10, 2025.

According to the Rural Health Information Hub, at least part of 15 Maine counties are considered to be dental care shortage areas.

To follow along with the work of the Commission, to watch archived recordings of previous meetings or to subscribe for notifications and updates, go to legislature.maine.gov/commission -to-expand-access-to-oral-health-care-by-studying-alternative-pathways-for-obtaining-a-license-to-practice-dentistry.

For a copy of the meeting agenda, email Anna Broome in the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis at Anna.Broome@legislature.maine.gov.

COMMISSION TO EXPAND ACESS TO DENTAL CARE MEETING DETAILS

WHAT: Commission to Expand Access to Dental Care, Second Meeting

WHO: Sen. Donna Bailey, Senate Chair

WHEN: 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 22

WHERE: Health and Human Services Committee Room (Room 209), Burton M. Cross Office Building, Augusta

ONLINE: legislature.maine.gov/Audio/#209

In the 131st Maine Legislature, Sen. Bailey co-chaired the chaired the Commission Regarding Foreign-Trained Physicians Living in Maine. It had a similar goal to increase the number of doctors in the state. That commission studied how to integrate foreign-trained physicians (including surgeons) into the health care workforce. It also explored a wide range of options for how to help enable foreign-trained physicians who wish to live and practice in Maine to do so. For more information, go to legislature.maine.gov/commission-regarding-foreign-trained-physicians-living-in-maine. Access the final report online at legislature.maine.gov/doc/10599.

Sen. Donna Bailey is currently serving her third term in the Maine Senate. She is the Senate chair of the Legislature’s Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee. She also serves on the Legislature’s Housing and Economic Development Committee. She represents Senate District 31, which includes Buxton, Old Orchard Beach and Saco.

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