April 12, 2007

New equine dental law is something to smile about

REMINGTON—During this year’s General Assembly session, Virginia joined the growing number of states that have passed laws to regulate the practice of equine dentistry performed by someone other than a veterinarian.

The new law states that only a trained and registered equine dental technician, or EDT, or a licensed veterinarian can work on a horse’s teeth professionally. It also outlines what procedures require a vet’s supervision when performed by an EDT.

“The legislation defining the scope of work clearly explains the relationship between veterinarians and equine dental technicians and their educational requirements,” said Lindsay Potts, a legislative specialist for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. “Veterinarians and equine dental technicians both provide necessary medical care and essential services to the equine community.”

Many Virginia horse owners endorsed the new guidelines, signed petitions and contacted their legislators to help ensure the legislation’s passage.

“I’m thrilled that there’s some kind of baseline. People have to step up and have at least a minimum knowledge and ability,” said Julie Williamson, a horse owner in Culpeper County. “There are a lot of horse owners that don’t understand that not everyone traveling around with dental tools is really qualified to be working in their horse’s mouth. This new legislation will give the horse owner a way to find qualified techs.”

Horses grind their feed with a side-to-side jaw movement—unlike humans, who chew up and down—so their teeth must be balanced, fairly even and not overly sharp for them to eat normally. Equine teeth that are not cared for regularly can cause serious health problems for domesticated horses, affecting their ability to safely swallow, digest and convert their feed.

Debbie Linton, an EDT and owner of Quality Equine Dental Care in Remington, advises horse owners to learn about their horses’ mouths and the dental equipment used on them. She encourages owners and trainers to ask questions of both their EDTs and their veterinarians about their training and personal knowledge of equine dentistry.

“Interview your vet or tech. Find out his or her own criteria and proficiency in equine dentistry. Also find out if your tech is certified by the International Association of Equine Dentistry.” said Linton, who received her IAED certification in 1993.

The IAED administers a three-day certification exam in equine dentistry annually for its member EDTs and vets, who must first qualify for the test. A list of IAED-certified EDTs is available at www.iaedglobal.com.

Contact Potts at 804-290-1019, Williamson at 540-547-3413 or Linton at 540-937-9856.