Smiles at risk: Advocates call for change as Florida faces ‘oral health crisis’

Florida ranks among the lowest states for dental care access, with 65 of its 67 counties facing shortages of dental professionals. Nearly six million residents live in federally designated dental health professional shortage areas (HPSAs). Floridians for Dental Access (FLDA), a bipartisan coalition of organizations and individuals, is advocating for the introduction of dental therapists, who are mid-level oral health providers. Similar to a physician’s assistant, dental therapists are hired and supervised by a licensed dentist. More from WUFT and Health News Florida.

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Competitive advantage

The New York-based Hospital for Special Surgery for decades treated patients coming up from Florida or New Yorkers with second homes here. Thus, it chose Florida for its first foray beyond the tri-state, opening in West Palm Beach in March 2020. “It’s been going great,” says Tara McCoy, CEO of HSS Florida. “We heard from a lot of our patients they wanted us to be down here.” HSS Florida now numbers 11 surgeons and three non-operating physicians. Patient volume increased 33% in 2024 compared to 2023 and as of September was up 20% this year over 2024. [Source: Florida Trend]

2 years after healthcare expansion passes, Florida kids are still waiting to get access

Back in 2023, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law an expansion to Florida KidCare, which oversees children's health insurance programs like CMS. The expansion increased the income eligibility for qualifying families from households within 200% of the federal poverty line to families within 300% of the federal poverty line. In more practical terms, the expansion meant that $53,300 would no longer be the maximum to qualify for a family of three. That new benchmark would be $79,950. Holding the expansion back is an ongoing lawsuit Florida filed against the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. [Source: Central Florida Public Media]

What are the four vaccines Florida plans to no longer require?

Florida’s surgeon general wants to do away with all state vaccine mandates. But the first step in his plan targets four specific vaccines. Earlier this month, the Department of Health had a meeting during which officials unveiled a proposal to drop the requirement for the chickenpox; the Hepatitis B; the Haemophilus influenzae type b, or Hib; and the Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Unlike many of the state’s other required vaccines, the health department can drop those four requirements without needing legislative approval. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

National rural health initiative that could help Florida partners with several key players

Gainwell Technologies, a provider of digital and cloud-enabled health and human services program solutions, has added several strategic partners to its Rural Health Transformation Collaborative. The nationwide initiative aims to stabilize rural hospitals, expand access to care and build long-term sustainability in underserved communities by connecting data, systems, and partners to interoperate and enable better coordination and decision-making across rural health ecosystems. [Source: Florida Politics]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› KnowJabil opens medical device lab to foster innovation [St. Pete Catalyst]
The world’s largest healthcare manufacturing solutions provider has positioned St. Petersburg as a hub for innovation in the multibillion-dollar minimally invasive medical device industry. Jabil Inc. recently opened a new Advanced Catheter Development Lab at its St. Petersburg headquarters. The facility’s on-site design, development, prototyping and testing capabilities will help university researchers, entrepreneurs and manufacturers meet an increasing global demand for minimally invasive products.

› Miami’s Nicklaus Children’s strengthens its push north into Broward and Palm Beach counties [South Florida Sun Sentinel]
Nicklaus Children’s Health System of Miami has strengthened its push deeper into Broward and Palm Beach counties with a new market president who will oversee expansion in Broward and a new leader to build affiliations and partnerships with healthcare providers in Palm Beach County. Yair Katz, who most recently had been chief executive of Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Long Beach, Calif., will guide Nicklaus Children’s as it builds its presence in Broward County.

› Record-breaking hospital expansions in Central Florida in 2025 [Orlando Business Journal]
Multimillion-dollar investments and hospital closures in 2025 signaled a new era for patients and providers in Orlando's health care landscape. The region saw major construction plans, including a new tower at its largest hospital, while another facility closed due to poor conditions. The acquiring system now plans fresh investments in that area.

› Canadian family pays it forward to UF Health for care after crash [Florida Times-Union]
In March 2022, a Canadian attorney lost two of his children in a deadly car crash in Clay County while the family was returning home from a Florida vacation. Pieter Kort recently returned to UF Health Jacksonville, which cared for him, wife Jamie and two surviving children Ethan, then 15, and Hannah, then 16, after the crash. He made a $20,000 donation to the hospital's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

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