MacIver Newsmakers Podcast: Rep. Mary Felzkowski Takes On Wisconsin’s Dental Care Gap

MacIver News Service | Feb. 19, 2019

State Rep. Mary Felzkowski wants to fix a woeful statistic and, true to her conservative roots, she wants to use the free market to do it. 

The Irma Republican, along with state Sen. Dave Craig (R-Big Bend) have introduced a bill that would create a dental therapist licensure program in Wisconsin. 

Dental therapists are mid-level practitioners, similar to physician assistants. Under the general supervision of a dentist, DTs can perform routine dental procedures either at a dental practice or in satellite clinics in underserved areas.

Felzkowski said it’s time to rectify a dubious health care ranking in the Badger State, and she believes adding dental therapists to the health care workforce could help do just that. 

“When I got elected, I was appalled at the lack of oral health care that is happening in the state of Wisconsin,” Felzkowski told MacIver News Service in an interview Monday. “We have 64 of 72 counties that are dental shortage areas. We rank 45th out of 50th when it coves to pediatric dental care for children.”

In this edition of MacIver Newsmakers, Felzkowski talks about her bill, the Dental Association’s pitched battle against it, why she thinks medical marijuana is a good idea, and why AC/DC’s “Back in Black” is the album she will never stop rocking.


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