State Rep. Mike Shaw, D-Standish, introduced three bills last week to expand the ability of Maine’s denturists to serve patients. The Legislature’s Business, Research & Economic Development Committee heard testimony from denturists, senior groups and advocates for the poor.

The proposed legislation was brought to Rep. Shaw by a Standish denturist.

“The three bills are about expanding access to affordable dental care for Maine people,” said Shaw. “Denturists provide a service to people who may not otherwise have dental care.”

LD 519, “An Act to Expand the Diagnostic Function of Denturists,” would allow denturists to use radiographic imagery for the purposes of their existing scope of practice.

Radiography has been identified as a crucial tool and this bill would allow Maine’s denturists access to the full range of tools that they need in order to do their work.

Specific licensing is required to use radiography equipment. Many of Maine’s denturists already have a dental radiographer’s license and those who haven’t would have to undergo licensing procedures before using this technology.

The bill, LD 710, “An Act to Allow Denturists to Practice to the Level of Their Educational Training” would expand the options denturists have to provide services to by properly defining the term denture as including partial dentures. This would functionally allow denturists to create and dispense partial dental appliances.

Denturists argue that this is well within the scope of their training and is consistent with the services that denturists provide already.

A third bill, LD 565, “An Act to Define ‘Edentulous Arch’ in the Laws Governing Denturists,” would allow denturists to provide dentures over implants in certain situations.

The three bills will be considered in a committee work session not yet scheduled.