Report Title:

Dentistry; Temporary License; Safety Net Providers

 

Description:

Applies the temporary license for dentists to dentists who work solely for safety net dental provider organizations; extends temporary license period. (SD1)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

83

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to dental licensing.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii has a considerable number of residents with unmet oral health needs. Our children have some of the worst rates of dental caries and baby bottle tooth decay in the nation. The unmet dental treatment needs of Native Hawaiian, Southeast Asian, Filipino, and Pacific Islander children range between forty per cent and sixty-three per cent.

The legislature further finds that, although Hawaii has a large number of practicing dentists, it has one of the lowest national participation rates in the Medicaid program. This results in serious access barriers to children covered by Medicaid or QUEST.

The legislature further finds that over three hundred thousand Hawaii residents have no dental insurance and little money to pay for dental care. Moreover, low-income adults enrolled in Medicaid or QUEST do not have coverage for basic dental care. Elders covered by Medicare also do not receive dental benefits. Hawaii’s Prepaid Health Care Act does not require employer-sponsored health plans to offer dental benefits.

The legislature further finds that neighbor island communities have the greatest oral health disparities, highest ratios of residents who are uninsured or covered by Medicaid or QUEST, and the lowest ratio of dentists to population.

The legislature further finds that safety net dental providers are critically important to address Hawaii’s unmet oral health needs, but these safety net providers, especially on neighbor islands, have difficulty providing adequate incentives to recruit dentists as employees or volunteers.

The legislature further finds that relaxing Hawaii's dental licensing provisions for dentists working or volunteering for safety net dental providers is a powerful means to assist

safety net dental providers in recruiting dentists while not compromising the quality of dental care available in the State of Hawaii.

SECTION 2. Section 448-12, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) The board of dental examiners may issue without examination to any resident or nonresident otherwise qualified to be examined a temporary license to practice dentistry in the employment of the State or any county, or any legally incorporated eleemosynary dispensary or infirmary, private school, or welfare center[.] or to practice dentistry solely under the auspices of a safety net dental provider organization. The temporary license shall authorize the person to whom the license is issued to practice dentistry exclusively while engaged in that employment and shall be in force until the earliest of the following occurs:

(1) The date the person leaves the employment authorized under the temporary license;

(2) [The three hundred ninety-sixth calendar day] Two years following the date of issuance of the temporary license;

(3) The date on which the results of the licensure examination taken by the person under this chapter are posted by the board; or

(4) The date on which the board revokes the temporary license;

provided that the board may revoke the temporary license at any time for cause.

No person who has failed an examination shall have the benefit of any temporary license[.], except a person who practices under the auspices of a safety net dental provider organization if that person has not failed the examination more than two times.

For purposes of this subsection, "safety net dental provider organization" means an entity that is a private nonprofit corporation, determined to be a charitable organization under title 26 United States Code section 501(c)(3); provides care to all patients regardless of their ability to pay for the services rendered, employing a sliding fee scale based on federal poverty guidelines for Hawaii; and accommodates individuals with disabilities and those who require language assistance. The term includes an entity that provides dental services under QUEST or Medicaid and any entity that provides dental services in the remote rural areas of the neighbor islands."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.