Denturists brace for new state law

MACON - For four decades, Tommy Hortman has been making dentures for his patients, taking impressions from their mouths and later inserting the teeth. Starting next month, he could go to jail for it. <br> <br> The state is cracking down on denturists, who fit and make dentures without a license to practice dentistry. Only dentists can legally take impressions and insert the false teeth. <br> <br> Doing it without a license has been a misdemeanor for years, but the law is rarely enforced. A new law that goes into effect July first will make it a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison. <br> <br> But denturists are promising a fight. Hortman, who operates a clinic in Roberta and is president of the Georgia Denturist Association, said he would rather risk prison than give up his profession. <br> <br> He said, &#34;There is no way we are going to walk away from it and say, `Well, the dentists won,&#39; and go become a Wal-Mart greeter.&#34; <br> <br> A study conducted by the Oregon Denturist Association found that dentists&#39; charges for false teeth were 86 percent higher than those of denturists. The study found that patients could save an average of 800 dollars by going to a denturist. <br> <br> But the executive director of the state Board of Denistry, Tachunta Thomas, said the worry is that denturists lack the training to recognize other problems their patients may have, like gum disease or oral cancer. <br> <br> She said, &#34;These people who are performing this particular type of dentistry have no specialized knowledge of oral anatomy, and they can&#39;t treat other types of problems. Individuals are at risk with basic public health and welfare.&#34; <br> <br> The Georgia Denturist Association claims about 25 members, although Hortman said hundreds more are involved in the practice and don&#39;t sign up to be members because of legal worries.

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