Child Care Scholarship Program - Freeze in Enrollment - Exceptions and Waitlist
House Bill 849 establishes the Maryland Commission to Study the Dental Hygienist Shortage. The commission is intended to examine the scope of the shortage and its effects on oral health across rural, suburban, and urban communities, then recommend ways to strengthen the dental hygiene workforce statewide. Its charge includes looking at recruitment and retention in private practice, community health centers, and public health settings, as well as strategies tailored to different regions of the state.
The commission is composed of state officials, higher education representatives, dental and oral health stakeholders, workforce and education experts, and representatives from related fields such as community colleges, federally qualified health centers, and area health education centers. It must also study ways to expand dental hygiene education, improve student retention through support services, and create pathways for dental assistants and community health workers to enter dental hygiene programs. The bill requires an interim report by December 1, 2025, and a final report by December 1, 2026, and the commission is temporary, expiring June 30, 2027.
The bill does not directly change licensing, reimbursement, or workforce rules; instead, it creates a temporary study commission within state government to gather data and make policy recommendations. It affects the Maryland Department of Health and the Maryland Higher Education Commission by requiring them to receive reports, and it engages multiple education, health care, and workforce stakeholders in evaluating the dental hygienist pipeline. Any substantive changes to state law would likely come later through legislation informed by the commission’s findings.
The bill appears generally supportive and noncontroversial in tone, reflecting concern about access to oral health care and the stability of the dental hygiene workforce. Its framing emphasizes workforce development, education access, and regional equity, suggesting broad policy interest in addressing shortages rather than imposing immediate regulatory changes. No committee testimony or recorded votes were provided, so there is no evidence of formal opposition in the available materials.
The main policy questions raised by the bill are likely to center on how to address the shortage: whether the state should prioritize expanding education capacity, creating new recruitment incentives, or using alternative workforce pathways such as dental assistants and community health workers. Another possible point of discussion is regional equity, since the commission is directed to consider rural, suburban, and urban differences in workforce needs. Because the bill creates a study commission rather than a direct remedy, any contention would likely focus on whether a study is sufficient or whether more immediate action is needed.