April 2024

I began to look for more solutions related to oral health when I realized that prevention of oral disease and tooth decay had an impact on health outcomes, broadly. Too often, dental problems are the first domino. It’s less broadly accessible than physical health care, both because of care deserts and because dental insurance is not as ubiquitous as other private healthcare. Under our safety net program, reimbursements rates are so de minimis that providers can be unwilling to provide care.  

I had a meeting with students at Pitt’s dental school about the challenges facing dentists, and then was requested to sponsor the teledentistry bill. I was delighted to have the opportunity to come to the table with a tested solution – something that would make an overnight difference for some Pennsylvanians even as we try to pass bills that would more dramatically reshape our oral health landscape.

Educating people about how vital an aspect of their overall health care it is. It too often gets relegated to a secondary health concern, but even the cosmetic aspects are important for people obtaining gainful employment and for their self-esteem and mental health.

Making sure everybody has access. 

The same mission I have as chair of the Health Committee overall: promoting access to health care, reducing costs by emphasizing prevention not acute care, and making sure we have good health outcomes for the people of Pennsylvania.

Exercising and spending time with my family.