As we welcome the first signs of Spring in Kentucky, our lawmakers continue working on crafting a state budget and passing legislation in Frankfort. Now more than halfway through the 2026 legislative session, several bills with the potential to impact oral health across the state have been filed.  

Register now for the KOHC Spring Virtual Coalition Meeting on March 27th from 10am-12pm ET to hear from stakeholders across the state and learn more about the status of bills impacting oral health in Kentucky. 

Bills KOHC is monitoring: 

House Bill 103 & Senate Bill 55 – HB 103 has passed the House, SB 55 awaiting Senate committee hearing 

  • These companion bills aim to make community water fluoridation optional by allowing local entities to opt out of fluoridating their water supply.  

House Bill 2 – Passed House, awaiting committee hearing in Senate  

  • This expansive Medicaid reform bill includes several provisions aiming to bring Kentucky in compliance with HR 1 federally, such as work requirements, more frequent eligibility checks, and co-pays for some services.  
  • More frequent eligibility checks can increase members cycling on and off Medicaid coverage, which makes treatment planning and completion difficult.  
  • The addition of co-pay requirements for certain Medicaid patients can lead to individuals delaying or skipping dental care and added burden for providers to collect co-payment for services.  
  • This bill also includes changes that are specific to dental care, including:  
  • Shifting the administration of dental benefits within Medicaid from the Managed Care Organization (MCO) model to an Administrative Service Organization (ASO) model. This change would carve out the dental program from the traditional way Medicaid is administered in KY.  
  • Requiring the Department for Medicaid Services (DMS) to hire a full-time dental director.  

House Bill 583 – Awaiting hearing in House Health Services Committee  

  • This bill would require schools that offer nursing services to bill Medicaid and allow school nurses to be trained on and bill for in-scope preventive dental services.  

House Bill 776 – Passed House Committee, awaiting House floor vote  

  • This bill makes a number of changes to the Dental Practice Act, including: 
  • Requiring the Board of Dentistry to establish certain affiliations for licensure. testing and provide liability insurance for Board and staff members. 
  • Permitting the Board of Dentistry to use certain funds to offer scholarships or loan repayment. 
  • Clarifying allowable services by hygienists without direct supervision of a dentist and extending the time frame from 7 months to 11 months without seeing a dentist that a hygienist can provide in-scope services.  
  • Removing statutory language prohibiting assistants from scaling and taking impressions. 

House Bill 880 – Awaiting committee assignment in House  

  • This bill would opt Kentucky into the Interstate Dental and Dental Hygiene Licensure Compact to allow for licensed dentists and hygienists to have license portability across state lines with other states that have adopted the compact.  

House Bill 500 – Passed House, awaiting committee hearing in Senate  

  • This two-year state budget proposal includes funding allocation for the Medicaid budget and other programs with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the Department for Public Health.  
  • Currently, no individual Medicaid rate adjustments are included in the proposal. 
  • This proposal is expected to see many more changes before being finalized in April – learn more about the state budget process and current status.  

 

Kentucky Oral Health Coalition will continue to monitor these bills as they move through the legislative process and provide updates on our identified Coalition priorities.  

https://kyoralhealthcoalition.org/event/march-quarterly-meeting-virtual/