Legislative and Government

You Can Affect your Government

The Montana Dental Association represents your interests in the dental health policy debate at all levels of government. The MDA follows the activities of local, state, and federal officials to make sure that your interests and the dental health care needs of all Montana citizens are represented.

The Montana Dental Association helps to keep you involved in important health public policy debates and informed of the issues that affect your practice.

Montana Dental Association
Final Legislative Update -- May 18, 2007

When the 2007 Montana Legislature adjourned its special session on May 15, legislators had enacted significant increases in funding for public oral health care for the next two years The Medicaid dental program, presently funded at about $6 million per year, received an additional $3 million new dollars per year. The CHIP dental program will receive about $500,000 per year in increased funding for the new biennium.

The bill sponsored by Rep. Bill Jones (R-Bigfork) to establish the Regional Initiatives in Dental Education (RIDE) program through the Board of Regents did not pass. The bill would have appropriated $2,397,000 general fund for the 2009 biennium for the program to allow dental students to spent their first year of dental school at MSU-Bozeman and then transfer to the University of Washington School of Dentistry for the remaining three years, with extensive clinical rotations in Montana during those years. The bill passed the House of Representatives, but was subsequently tabled in the Senate Finance and Claims Committee. Opponents to the bill objected to funding a new program at this level and disapproved of the provision that would have required dental school graduates to repay funds expended for their dental education by the state of Montana if they did not return to practice in Montana for an extended period.

Another bill sponsored by Rep. Bill Jones requested an interim legislative study of repayment programs and other incentive programs to support access to dental care in the state, with emphasis on rural areas. The bill passed the House and Senate. Legislators will now choose which studies to assign to legislative interim committees and it is hoped that the dental repayment study will be among the Legislature's priorities.

Information on Contacting Montana Legislators

LEAVING A TELEPHONE MESSAGE:
The phone number for the Legislative Information Office is (406) 444-4800.
At this number you can leave messages for up to five (5) legislators, and receive information related to the session. Hours of operation are 7:30a.m. to 5p.m. (M-F), 8a.m. to adjournment on Saturday.
The TTY (Telephone Device for the Deaf) number is (406) 444-4462

SENDING E-MAIL MESSAGES:
The best way to contact legislators by e-mail is to leave a written message on line by using the web form found at http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/60th/default.asp. Look for the text below, and click on the phrase “Legislative Branch online message form.”
Send a message to your Legislator by using the Legislative Branch online message form.

MAILING A NOTE OR LETTER:

For Representatives:

The Honorable _______
Montana House of Representatives
PO Box 200400
Helena MT 59620-0400

Dear Representative _______,

For Senators:

The Honorable ________
Montana Senate
PO Box 200500
Helena MT 59620-0500

Dear Senator _______,

FAXING A NOTE OR LETTER:

House of Representatives - (406) 444-4825
Senate - (406) 444-4875

Montana State Government Agencies listing

Current Montana Government Officials:

Max Baucus - US Senator, D
Jon Tester - US Senator, D
Dennis Rehberg - US Representative, R

U.S. Senate website
U.S. House of Representatives website

Legislative and Government

You Can Affect your Government

Montana Dental Association Final Legislative Update -- May 18, 2007

Current Montana Government Officials:

Related Links

Montana Dental Association
Final Legislative Update -- May 18, 2007