Legislative Session

The 2025 Missouri Legislative Session began January 8 and will end May 16.

MDA Dental Day is March 5. Please register by Monday, February 10.
The following provides the 2025 legislative agenda, along with other dental-related items we will be monitoring.
For more in-depth reporting, read the Pulse in Missouri Politics from MDA lobby firm, Gamble & Schlemeier.

MDA Priorities

Dental Loss Ratio

The MDA has created a public relations/education campaign about DLR.

2024: Legislation was filed to establish a DLR in Missouri at 85% for both large and small group plans. Due to filing time, and the incredibly unproductive session, it saw little movement.
2025: HB439 has been filed in the House by Rep. Kent Haden, and a Senate Sponsor for a sister bill is currently being secured. The same 2024 legislation was re-filed with a few modifications.

Enacting DLR legislation is a critical step to tempering the influence insurance companies have over how dentists serve their patients and run their practices. Setting minimum standards of transparency and consumer protection regarding how dental insurers spend patient premiums, as is standard in the medical industry, would go a long way toward improving patient access to the care they need from their dental provider. The Affordable Care Act established that major medical plans pay certain percentages of the collected premiums for medical care vs. administrative costs. For example, large group plans must spend at least 85% of their collected premiums on care delivered to patients and no more than 15% can be spent on administrative costs and profit. No such requirement exists for dental plans, which are considered “excepted benefits.” Click to read more from the ADA about DLR.

Oral Preventive Assistant

This session the MDA also is strategizing on the future of the Oral Preventive Assistant EFDA. The clinical testing of that pilot project commenced in December with sites reporting on outcomes for the next several months that will inform future progress.

Of related note, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) adopted the ADA-crafted Dental Access Model Act which consisted of three parts including, authorization of oral preventive assistants, based on a pilot program created by the MDA.
Not only does this provide validation for the MDA OPA EFDA model in Missouri to assist us when talking with lawmakers, but the model helps other states trying make workforce progress.

Dental Budget Items

Outside of filing legislation, work is still being done to maintain Dental Medicaid reimbursement rates, as well as fix issues within the system to make it more efficient for providers to enroll and provide these services. Along with Medicaid appropriations, the MDA will be advocating for increased funding for Elks Mobile Dental Services and continued funding for the Donated Dental Services program.

Legislation We're Monitoring

Dental Compacts

The Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact is a legally binding agreement among states that provides a pathway through which dentists and dental hygienists can obtain compact privileges which authorize practice in states where they are not licensed. A state must enact the compact model legislation through the state’s legislative process to join the Compact. Dentists and dental hygienists who are licensed in one compact member state can practice in another participating state by obtaining a compact privilege. Click to learn more. The MDA will monitor this legislation and offer support as appropriate.

2024: The American Dental Support Organization (ADSO) introduced the compact to the Missouri Legislature. Unfortunately, due to infighting between the Missouri Republican Party and the Freedom Caucus, the bill was unsuccessful.
2025: The ADSO pre-filed legislation HB56, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Coleman, which modifies provisions relating to the dental professions, and SB327 sponsored by Sen. Ben Brown, which establishes the Dental and Dental Hygienist Compact.