Lawson, Williams have dental school bill on track

Sen. Alfred “Al” Lawson and Rep. Alan Williams have formally introduced companion bills to authorize a dental school at Florida’s only historically black public university.

Senate Bill 2564, filed by Lawson, and its companion House Bill 1439, filed by Williams both state: “A program for a doctoral of dental medicine degree is hereby authorized at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.”

FAMU’s push for a dental school comes at the same time that the legislature is weighing Florida Atlantic’s request for a college of medicine and the University of South Florida’s request for a pharmacy school.

The Florida Board of Governors is officially backing FAU and USF’s proposals but has yet to even schedule a vote on FAMU’s. The BOG’s inaction comes in midst of a severe statewide dentist shortage.

The legislature still holds all the cards when it comes to establishing new health professional programs in the Sunshine State.

Even though the BOG can approve new programs, it has no authority over the state boards which grant health professional licenses. Those boards are all part of the Florida Department of Health, which operates under the laws passed by the legislature. The state’s health boards will only grant licenses to students from legislatively-certified programs.

Although the BOG has not recommended a dental school, FAMU can still ask the legislature for certification to train dental students who will be eligible to receive licenses from the Florida Board of Dentistry.

During the days of the Board of Regents, FAMU had to go above the board’s head and get legislative approval for Institute of Public Health and the restoration of the College of Law. The BOR objected to both proposed programs.