Efforts to expand dental education and reduce barriers to entry in the dental profession were discussed at a public hearing of the Senate Majority Policy Committee chaired by Sen. Dave Argall (R-29) on April 13 in Jenkins Township. The hearing brought together dental professionals, educators, insurance representatives, and advocates to address workforce shortages among dentists, dental hygienists, and assistants.
The shortage of dental professionals has led to reduced access to care for Pennsylvanians. Argall said that nearly one third of residents do not receive regular dental care, which increases rates of opioid abuse, heart disease, and preventable emergency room visits. He added that more than 22% of Pennsylvania dentists are aged 65 or older while over 18% of hygienists are over age 60. “If we do not act this problem will soon get much, much worse,” Argall said.
Dr. Roosevelt Allen from United Concordia Dental described geographic disparities in access: “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 supported establishing a new central Pennsylvania dental school and expanding loan repayment programs for those practicing in shortage areas.
Other speakers addressed regulatory hurdles and educational limitations as key issues driving workforce shortages. Dr. James Mancini cited data showing Pennsylvania had the highest rate nationally for dentists moving out between 2014-2024 due partly to complex insurance requirements. Dr. Darleen Oleski advocated passage of Senate Bill 888 to streamline credentialing processes for young dentists considering practice locations.
Ann Hoffman from Central Penn College explained that demand far exceeds capacity for training new hygienists; one community college receives over 200 qualified applicants annually but can only accept 27 students into its program. She described her institution’s efforts including creating new degree pathways with housing support for students.
Argall recently supported opening Temple University’s first rural dental education center in Tamaqua alongside Rep. Jamie Barton (R-124). The facility will host upper-level students during their final two years while providing comprehensive care locally.
Argall serves as chair of the Senate Majority Policy Committee overseeing hearings on issues such as education funding according to his official website. He represents Pennsylvania’s 29th District according to his official website and has provided constituent services throughout various locations according to his official website. His background includes degrees from Lycoming College and Pennsylvania State University according to his official website, with roots tracing back to Cornish, Welsh, and German working families according to his official website. Argall has emphasized support for working-class communities through legislation aimed at revitalizing older industrial neighborhoods as noted on 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.
