STAND. COM. REP. NO. 507

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 779
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.B. No. 779 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DENTAL HYGIENISTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is establish a certification
process of dental hygienists to administer intra-oral
infiltration local anesthesia and intra-oral block anesthesia.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii
Dental Hygienists Association, Hawaii Institute for Wellness in
Dentistry, and two private citizens.  Testimony in opposition was
received from two dentists.  Testimony expressing reservations or
concerns was received from three dentists.  The Board of Dental
Examiners provided informational testimony.

     Your Committee finds that with proper training, licensing,
and oversight, as provided by this measure, dental hygienists may
administer local anesthesia.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting section 447-  (a)(11),(12), and (13), Hawaii
          Revised Statutes (HRS) in section 1, relating to three
          types of nerve blocks;


 
a                                                     SB779 SD1
 
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 507
                                   Page 2


     (2)  Deleting section 447-  (b)(2), HRS, in section 1,
          relating to the course of study; and

     (3)  Inserting section 447-  (d), HRS, in section 1,
          relating to allowing the Board of Dental Examiners to
          adopt rules for the new section.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 779, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 779,
S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer
Protection.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health and Human
                                   Services,



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
a                                                     SB779 SD1