A public hearing will be held to address the growing shortage of dentists and their staff assistants in rural Pennsylvania. The Senate Majority Policy Committee is organizing the event, which is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at Lehigh Carbon Community College in Tamaqua, PA.
The session will commence with opening remarks from Senator David G. Argall, Chairman of the Senate Majority Policy Committee. The hearing will feature three panels consisting of various experts and professionals from related fields.
Panel One includes Kaitlyn Goode and Laura Dimino from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, Helen Hawkey from the PA Coalition for Oral Health, Jessica Brennan from Tamaqua Rural Health Clinic, and Dr. Maria Taceloskey representing the PA Dental Association.
Panel Two features Karen Clark from Lehigh Carbon Community College, Karen B. Rainey from Luzerne County Community College, and Michael C. Verber from Verber Dental Group.
Panel Three comprises Amid Ismail from Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry; Marnie Oakley and Jim Earle from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine; and Joan I. Gluch from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.
Additional testimonies will be provided by representatives from The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, and Association of Dental Support Organizations.
The event aims to provide insights into the challenges faced by rural communities regarding dental health services.
