TOPEKA ? A plan to address a Kansas dental care shortage with a new type of health care worker is being pushed again in the Legislature despite stiff opposition.

Registered dental practitioners would be able to perform basic services, such as fillings, crowns and some tooth extractions, The Topeka Capital-Journal reports. Supporters argue the mid-level practitioners could cut costs, but opponents charge the idea would endanger patients.

The federal Health Resources and Services Administration said 99 Kansas counties have some form of dental-related health professional shortage. Shortages, which are the most profound in rural areas, can mean longer drives for patients or difficulty getting appointments.

“There’s very defined procedures they can do, and it’s not as broad as what a dentist can do,” said Kevin Nakagaki, a dentist who has been using registered dental practitioners in his St. Paul, Minn., practice for two years. “But it takes the burden off the dentist to be doing the very straightforward procedures so the dentist can concentrate on more complex procedures.”

This past week, Nakagaki participated in the Kansas Dental Project’s advocacy day in the Kansas Statehouse. The project strongly supports the creation of registered dental practitioners and has unsuccessfully championed legislation in previous years. Both Fort Hays State University and Wichita State University have supported the creation of dental practitioner programs.

The Kansas Dental Association opposes the measure, however. Director Kevin Robertson argues the legislation would authorize registered dental practitioners to perform several procedures that are invasive and he expressed concerns training requirements would not be sufficient.

Robertson also noted that the state has added more than 100 dentists in past few years, with the number of dentists growing from about 1,400 to a little more than 1,500.