Florida — Recent graduates of dental schools in Florida can’t start their careers yet. The coronavirus canceled or postponed their exams to become a licensed dentist or hygienist in the state.
Joshua May graduated from the dental hygiene program at the Florida State College of Jacksonville in April. He said he’s crushed he can’t start working after years of hard work. “We’re kind of stuck in this limbo between being graduated and not able to enter the workforce,” May said.
May said he’s required to take three separate written boards and complete a live clinical exam to obtain his license.
For the live exam, he would perform a dental procedure on a patient and have his work judged by three independent panelists. With his school shut down, May can’t do the live clinical exam.
May said he’s performed the work hundreds of times and even took a mock exam. He believes the live clinical examination is outdated. “One test isn’t going to determine your efficacy as a clinician,” May said. “It’s determined over years of training, over treating hundreds of patients, over doing your rotations.”
Coronavirus pandemic: Click here for updates
According to Floridians for Dental Access, roughly one in four people in the state live in areas designated by the federal government as having a shortage of dentists.
May said this delay could impact your access to dental care. “We really do desperately need these young and healthy workers on the front lines and able to enter the workforce and start treating patients,” May said.
The Florida Board of Dentistry supports a one-time waiver of the live patient exam, but the governor would need to grant the temporary rule change.
Action News Jax reached out to the governor’s office to see if he would consider it, but we’re waiting to hear back.
© 2020 Cox Media Group
