Q: What group did one Maine legislator describe as having "power right up there with the NRA", saying they "do everything they can to protect their interests — and they have money"?
A: Dentists. The American Dental Association and its members (64 percent of U.S. dentists, compared to just 25 percent of physicians in the AMA) in particular are defending vociferously against incursions onto their turf by dental therapists, who can perform basic oral exams and pull teeth without the direct involvement of a (more expensive) dentist. A program in Alaska result in multiple (unsuccessful) lawsuits, and a similar program in Maine has been kneecapped by schools and licensing boards, all run by dentists.
A: Dentists. The American Dental Association and its members (64 percent of U.S. dentists, compared to just 25 percent of physicians in the AMA) in particular are defending vociferously against incursions onto their turf by dental therapists, who can perform basic oral exams and pull teeth without the direct involvement of a (more expensive) dentist. A program in Alaska result in multiple (unsuccessful) lawsuits, and a similar program in Maine has been kneecapped by schools and licensing boards, all run by dentists.