Subcommittee advances bill to fund Oklahoma Mission of Mercy free dental clinics

The Health and Human Services Subcommittee for Appropriations voted to advance Senate Bill 629 to full appropriations on a voice vote, sending a $300,000 funding request for Oklahoma Mission of Mercy on for further consideration.

Senator Gillespie, the bill sponsor, told the subcommittee the appropriation would support the annual Oklahoma Mission of Mercy free dental clinics held in different communities across the state and moved to advance the bill to full appropriations. "I move to pass," Gillespie said when presenting the measure.

The proposal requests $300,000 from the state budget to support event costs that organizers said typically range from about $250,000 to $300,000 depending on site size. An unnamed executive director for Oklahoma Mission of Mercy who spoke to the committee said about 85 percent of clinic patients have no dental benefit and "a little over 7%" have Medicaid. The executive director said larger cities such as Tulsa and Oklahoma City have higher site costs and fewer local site donations than smaller communities.

Supporters argued the program saves money by preventing costly emergency and downstream medical care. "For every dollar that we spend, it equals $5 in actual care that patients are getting," Gillespie said, adding that the program provided nearly $1.5 million in treatment to more than 1,000 patients this year. Gillespie and other proponents also said delaying dental care can lead to infections that increase later hospital costs.

Several members pressed fiscal questions. Senator Hicks asked whether there are eligibility or income requirements and whether some clinic recipients already have dental insurance; Gillespie and the executive director said there are no eligibility or income requirements and that some participants do have insurance. Senator McIntosh and others expressed concern about making what has been largely philanthropic funding into a recurring state obligation. "I'm not sure where we draw the line in asking teachers, barbers, other taxpayers to let us spend their money on extra programs," McIntosh said.

Committee members noted the program previously received American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and private donations; committee members were told ARPA funds have been expended and organizers have sought a new funding source. The executive director said clinical volunteers (dentists, oral surgeons and others) donate their time and that supplies are procured at discounted rates.

After debate the subcommittee took a voice vote. The chair called for ayes and the clerk recorded that "the ayes have it," and the bill was forwarded to full appropriations for further review. The voice vote was recorded in the transcript but no roll-call tally was provided.

The bill will next be considered by full appropriations where funding and any amendments would be decided.