On Monday, the Minnesota Senate passed legislation allowing dentists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine after the completion of appropriate training. The legislation is co-authored by Senator Zach Duckworth (R-Lakeville) and gives Minnesota additional flexibility with its vaccination plan to meet the demand of seniors across the state, particularly in rural communities.

“I was happy to partner with my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to confront the challenge of getting vaccines to those who need them most,” said Senator Duckworth. “This bill shows that common sense and bipartisanship can prevail when we put Minnesotans before politics. I’m hopeful that the unanimous support of this bill will help expedite the effort to protect our most vulnerable and put Minnesota on the path to safely reopening.”

The vaccine remains optional – the flexibility of allowing dentists to administer the vaccine, if folks so choose, will help alleviate the backlog many seniors, teachers, and other groups are experiencing with getting the vaccine.  Allowing dentists to administer the vaccine will increase accessibility as more doses becomes available. The CDC has recommended training more healthcare professionals to administer the COVID vaccine to increase efficiency and timeliness across the state.  According to the American Dental Association, twenty states currently allow dentists to administer the COVID vaccine. Other states are also considering similar legislation.