Florida is suffering from a dental health crisis, with staggering levels of pain and suffering in 65 of Florida’s 67 counties. Dental therapy is a necessary part of solving this public health emergency.

This point was made louder and clearer than ever before during the 2025 legislative session, with the dental therapy implementation bill passing the Florida House with overwhelming support. Movement forward occurred in the Florida Senate as well, but not enough to get it over the top.

There is much to celebrate and many to thank as we look forward to the work ahead.

First, a huge thank you to the top leadership of the House, our amazing hard-working House sponsor (Representative Linda Chaney), and the vast majority of House members who passed dental therapy on the House floor, not once (HB21) but twice (HB 1427) when the House took its first position on the health care section of the Senate’s Rural Renaissance. It’s truly clear the Florida House and House leaders strongly support dental therapy as an evidence-based solution to increase dental access.

Second, a shout-out to our growing base of over 500 coalition supporters, both organizational and individual. Your advocacy through letters, emails, phone calls, meetings with policymakers, and personal testimony at committee hearings touched the hearts of many. It especially provided critical counterbalance to the self-interested and tired myths, fairytales and misrepresentations by organized dentistry.

Finally, thank you to the meticulous and focused researchers, intergovernmental relations and communications teams who provided updated data and information sometimes overnight. Not only is momentum on our side, but also the facts. All published studies support the safety, quality and effectiveness of dental therapy in increasing access to care.

It is our collective goal that Florida will be the largest red state in the nation to authorize dental therapy, which will give a significant tailwind to the dental therapy movement nationwide. If you have not already done so, click the button below to join our coalition and to receive action alerts to make dental workforce reform a reality in Florida.