Maryland Commission to Study the Dental Hygienist Shortage - Establishment

HB 849 establishes a 13-member Maryland Commission to Study the Dental Hygienist Shortage, including state health and education officials, dental associations, community colleges, and workforce experts. The commission will assess the shortage's impact across rural, suburban, and urban communities and study solutions like expanding dental hygiene education, improving recruitment/retention strategies, and supporting student retention. It must submit an interim report by December 1, 2025, and a final report by December 1, 2026, with the commission dissolving automatically on June 30, 2027. This bill creates a study body with no direct policy changes; its purpose is to inform future decisions on addressing the dental hygienist workforce gap.