Efforts to expand dental education and reduce entry barriers to address shortages of dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants were discussed at a public hearing of the Senate Majority Policy Committee chaired by Sen. Dave Argall on Apr. 13 in Jenkins Township.
The shortage of dental professionals has led to negative health outcomes for Pennsylvanians, with many residents unable to access regular care. “Almost one third of Pennsylvanians do not receive regular dental care, which increases rates of opioid abuse, contributes to heart disease and overwhelms emergency rooms with preventable dental issues. At the same time, more than 22% of Pennsylvania dentists are aged 65 and older, and more than 18% of our dental hygienists are aged 60 and older,” Argall said. “If we do not act this problem will soon get much, much worse.”
Dr. Roosevelt Allen from United Concordia Dental described how rural areas face a lack of providers: “we observe a profound geographic maldistribution of dental professionals across the state. This creates ‘dental deserts’ in our rural communities, where residents often face long travel times to receive care.” He called for creating another dental school in central Pennsylvania and expanding programs that encourage dentists to work in underserved areas.
Dr. James Mancini noted that Pennsylvania lost more dentists than any other state between 2014-2024 due partly to complex insurance requirements that drive professionals elsewhere. Dr. Darleen Oleski urged passage of Senate Bill 888 to streamline credentialing processes for young dentists considering careers in Pennsylvania.
Ann Hoffman from Central Penn College said limited educational opportunities mean many qualified applicants cannot enter the field: “at its core, this issue comes down to the numbers. We simply do not have enough dental hygienists-preventative providers, to meet the needs of our communities.” She described new degree pathways her institution created with housing support for students.
Other speakers highlighted burnout among hygienists as well as regulatory limits on their practice scope as factors driving workforce shortages.
Argall recently helped establish Temple University’s first rural dental education center in Tamaqua—a move intended to train more students while providing care for underserved patients.
Argall serves constituents through various offices assisting with state-agency issues according to his official website. He holds degrees from Lycoming College and Pennsylvania State University according to his official website. His legislative efforts focus on revitalizing working-class neighborhoods as noted on his official website. As chair of the Senate Majority Policy Committee he oversees hearings on topics like education funding as noted on his official website, representing the state’s 29th District according to his official website, with family roots tracing back generations locally according to his official website.
“The information we gathered here today will significantly help our efforts, in Tamaqua and across the commonwealth, to encourage more dental professionals to practice in our communities,” Argall said.
