Stinton: Bill easing dentist licensure making a difference
Dr. Christine Stinton is the chief dental officer for La Red Health Center.
If you live in Sussex County or have recently moved to southern Delaware, you may be surprised by how difficult it is to find a dentist.
Delaware is facing a shortage of dentists. According to a 2022 report published by the Delaware Division of Public Health, there is only one dentist for every 3,414 residents in our state.
Delaware’s current pool of dentists is aging. Forty-four percent of them are 55 or older, and about 22% are considering retirement in the next few years, according to the same report.
This shrinking pool of dentists comes at a time when Delaware’s population is experiencing significant growth. Sussex County is leading the way, with the population more than doubling since 2000, to 237,378 residents in 2022. It is projected to increase to more than 361,000 by 2025.
Delaware needs more dentists — it’s that simple. But recruiting dentists to our state is anything but simple. In fact, it was overly complicated until 2023.
Delaware does not have its own dental school, so we must recruit dentists from other areas. This has been difficult because our state requires out-of-state dentists to take a clinical exam in front of Delaware’s dental board for licensure.
According to the American Dental Association, Delaware is the only state in the country that requires a single-encounter, procedure-based patient exam before the state dental board for licensure. Dentists have other options, and many choose to join practices where there aren’t such requirements.
Meanwhile, Delaware’s dental shortage continues to increase. For years, we have felt the effects of this shortage at La Red Health Center. At one point, we were down to just one dentist to care for nearly 3,000 patients.
Fortunately, thanks to legislation spearheaded in 2022 by Sen. Sarah McBride, D-Wilmington, and other lawmakers, the pathway to becoming a dentist here has become much easier.
The General Assembly passed a critical measure that simplified the process for out-of-state dentists to become licensed in Delaware. McBride’s leadership in crafting and passing this law now allows dentists to receive community health dental licenses by working at one of the state’s federally qualified health centers for a certain number of hours over two years. Once they complete their commitment, they can become fully licensed in Delaware.
This legislative breakthrough, led by McBride, has already had a profound impact at La Red Health Center. What was once a one-dentist practice caring for nearly 3,000 patients now has three dentists, with a fourth joining soon. McBride’s law is making it possible for La Red — and other health care providers across the state — to meet the growing demand for dental care. Thanks to her, patients at La Red and elsewhere won’t have to wait as long for dental services. This is especially important for the underserved communities that rely on us for care.
We want to extend our appreciation to Sen. McBride for the passage of this legislation. It is making a tremendous difference for our patients today and will continue to do so for all Delawareans in the future.
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