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The Alabama Dental Association on Wednesday launched a campaign to introduce legislation in hopes to reform dental coverage in the state.
Spearheaded by ALDA’s 1,600 members, this legislative campaign represents the largest coordinated effort by Alabama’s dentists to reform patient’s dental coverage in the state’s history.
“As a dentist, I’ve seen how current dental insurance policies create unnecessary barriers to care,” said Leigh Kent, an ALDA member who also serves as chair for the legislative initiative. “More for Your Smile is about breaking down those barriers and advocating for the needs of our patients.”
The campaign seeks to bring legislation mandating that at least 85 percent of premiums go directly toward patient treatments. In Alabama, dental insurers are not currently required to allocate a set portion of premiums to patient care.
ALDA representatives said this reform would ensure transparency by showing patients how their premium dollars are used; direct more funds to essential care, reducing delays and expanding access to necessary dental treatments; and
provide refunds to patients if insurers fail to meet medical loss ratio standards.
The campaign is also emphasizing policy to require the roll-over of benefits. Currently, unused dental benefits expire at the end of each year, leading many patients to lose valuable coverage. ALDA’s proposed roll-over policy will allow patients to carry over unused benefits, giving them added flexibility and the full value of their dental plans.
Dental health remains a pressing issue in Alabama, where only a small percentage of adults regularly visit the dentist and over 15 percent of children suffer from tooth decay—higher than the national average. ALDA representatives said the “More for Your Smile” campaign represents a critical step toward addressing these challenges and strengthening Alabama’s oral health landscape.
“We’re committed to changing the way dental coverage works in Alabama by putting patients and their care first,” said Michele Huebner, executive director of ALDA. “For too long, patients and dentists have been caught in a system that prioritizes profits over people, and this legislative campaign aims to change that.”
Hannah Dailey, a dental student at the University of Alabama School of Dentistry, said she and her classmates would like to remain in the state but face barriers due to low reimbursement rates.
“Many of my classmates want to stay and serve in our state, but challenges like low reimbursement rates and unfair insurance policies make it difficult to see a sustainable future here,” Dailey said. “With reforms like these, we can make Alabama a place where new dentists want to practice, ensuring better access to quality care for everyone.”
