An Act to Increase Oral Health Services
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1837
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: GRAMLICH, INGWERSEN, GATTINE, GRAHAM, JAVNER, MASTRACCIO, STOVER, ZAGER, MOORE
Amends: 22 MRSA §3174-S

Legislative Document
No. 1837
H.P. 1169
House of Representatives, April 27, 2023
An Act to Increase Oral Health Services
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach.
Cosponsored by Senator INGWERSEN of York and
Representatives: GATTINE of Westbrook, GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, JAVNER of 
Chester, MASTRACCIO of Sanford, STOVER of Boothbay, ZAGER of Portland, Senator: 
MOORE of Washington.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §3174-S, sub-§2-A, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 635, Pt. AAA, 
§1, is amended to read:
2-A.  School-based preventive oral health services.  By January 1, 2025, the 
department shall provide preventive oral health services through the Maine Center for 
Disease Control and Prevention in all public schools, as defined in Title 20-A, section 1, 
subsection 24, in the State.
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §3174-S, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2021, c. 635, Pt. AAA, §3, 
is further amended to read:
4.  Annual report.  By February 15, 1999 and annually thereafter, the department shall 
submit to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health 
and human services matters an annual report containing information related to the progress 
of the department in meeting the goal stated in subsection 3 and an action plan to increase 
access to dental care.  The report must include an analysis of the progress being made in 
increasing access, the problems incurred within the prior year and corrective action to be 
taken.  The action plan must consider the following strategies to increase access: nonprofit 
clinics; purchase of practice clinics; enhanced reimbursement for dentists serving a large 
number of children under the Medicaid program; and contracts with dental clinics and 
health centers to provide dental care.  After February 15, 2023, the report must be submitted 
by December 31st annually and must also include the status of preventive oral health 
services provided in schools pursuant to subsection 2‑A and methods for maximizing 
Medicaid funding as permitted by federal law for oral health staff positions within the 
department and school-based preventive oral health services to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters, 
which may report out legislation based upon findings in the report to the Legislature in the 
legislative session in which the report is submitted.
Sec. 3.  PL 2021 c. 635, Pt. AAA, §5 is amended to read: 
Sec. AAA-5. Value-based Alternative payment pilot project.  No later than 
July 1, 2023, the The Department of Health and Human Services shall begin work with the 
MaineCare Advisory Committee dental subcommittee to plan a pilot project for an oral 
health value-based alternative payment model within the MaineCare program that includes 
prevention, early intervention, disease management and care coordination services for oral 
health services delivered in schools and early child care settings. The pilot project must last 
no less than 24 months. The department shall report the results of plan for the pilot project 
to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and 
human services matters no later than January 1, 2026 in the report due December 31, 2023 
under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 3174-S, subsection 4.
Sec. 4.  Department of Health and Human Services to make certain 
positions permanent.  The Department of Health and Human Services shall make 
permanent within the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention's office of rural 
health and primary care the position of oral health educator to conduct outreach, education, 
community engagement and workforce development strategies and the position of data and 
research analyst to provide data and research support needed for the State and external 
partners to monitor the capacity and reach of dental services in the State, ensure that the 
State's oral health program under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 2127 is data 
driven, assess oral health disparities and track results of oral health studies and programs. 
SUMMARY
This bill concerns the Department of Health and Human Services' provision of oral 
health services as follows:
1.  It clarifies the requirement of the department to expand availability of school-based 
preventive oral health services to public schools;
2.  It allows the Legislature to report out legislation based on the annual report of the 
department on the goal that children enrolled in the MaineCare program in all regions of 
the State receive at least one preventive dental visit annually; and
3.  It requires the department to work with the MaineCare Advisory Committee, dental 
subcommittee to plan a pilot project for an oral health value-based payment model within 
the MaineCare program that includes prevention, early intervention, disease management 
and care coordination services for oral health services delivered in schools and early child 
care settings and to report the plan to the Legislature.
The bill also makes permanent within the Maine Center for Disease Control and 
Prevention's office of rural health and primary care the positions of oral health educator 
and data and research analyst.