Feb 21, 2024
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Latest News from North Central District Dental Society
Latest News from WSDA
State Representative Michelle Caldier Announces Campaign for State Senate
WSDA member dentist and current State Representative Michelle Caldier has announced her campaign for Washington State Senate in the 26th District. WSDA endorsed Rep. Caldier in her 2024 House race and is proud to support her run for Senate.
WSDA member dentist and current State Representative Michelle Caldier has announced her campaign for Washington State Senate in the 26th District. WSDA endorsed Rep. Caldier in her 2024 House race and is proud to support her run for Senate.
The strength of organized dentistry lies in our numbers. With your support, we can help Rep. Caldier win her campaign for State Senate to continue serving as a strong voice for dentists and to advocate on behalf of you and your patients in Olympia.
WSDA encourages members to contribute to Rep. Caldier's campaign today. She can accept donations until December 13, after which she will be unable to fundraise until the end of the 2025 Legislative Session. The individual maximum is $2,400 ($1,200 for the primary election and $1,200 for the general election). Learn more and donate at michelle4senate.com.
About Representative Michelle Caldier
As a six-term lawmaker and the only dentist in the Legislature, Rep. Caldier has championed health care, workforce and insurance policy issues. During the 2024 Legislative Session, she was vocal on two key dental measures.
House Bill 1655 would have required contracts between an insurance company and a provider to include a compensation increase for providers not affiliated with hospitals from the previous year based on the Consumer Price Index.
“Since 2011, Delta Dental, Cigna and Premera – three top dental insurance companies in Washington – have reduced their rates to the tune of 15-25 percent across the board,” she said in committee testimony, championing an amendment that would have kept dental insurance in the legislation. “There should be unity across the board for providers and not a carve-out for dental.”
Rep. Caldier also served as the prime sponsor for House Bill 2176, a WSDA effort to address the continuing shortage of dental hygienists in the workforce.
“We have a huge dental workforce shortage, and the biggest workforce shortage is in hygiene,” she said in committee testimony. “Many dental offices cannot find hygienists to fill those slots and so the dentist winds up doing the cleanings themselves. This would allow the hygienist to work at the top of their scope of practice and would help improve the workforce shortages we currently have in our state.”
Dental Benefits Reform Top WSDA Priority in 2025
In 2025, WSDA will focus our legislative efforts on fixing Washington’s broken dental benefits system. Our goal? To create a system that puts patients over profits, brings justice to care and creates a fair and functioning market. Because right now, insurance companies are not putting patients first.
Join us in Olympia at Dental Action Day on Thursday, January 30 and sign up for WSDA legislative updates by texting WSDA to the number 52886.
