HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1951 |
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to dental HYGIENISTS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1.
The legislature finds that Act 83, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017,
authorized licensed dental hygienists to operate under the general supervision
of a licensed dentist in specified circumstances. The legislature recognizes that there has
been some confusion in implementing some of the changes in the practice of dental
hygiene authorized by Act 83.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
clarify the circumstances in which a licensed dental hygienist may operate
under the general supervision of a licensed dentist.
SECTION 2. Section 447-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (f) to read as follows:
"(f) No person shall practice dental hygiene, either gratuitously or for pay, or shall offer or attempt so to practice, or shall advertise or announce publicly or privately as being prepared or qualified so to practice without having a license as provided in this section. The original or a copy of the certificate of licensure shall be prominently displayed at all times in the workplace where the dental hygienist is employed or practices. A dental hygienist's pocket identification card shall be readily available for viewing upon request to ensure the license is current. A licensed dental hygienist shall practice only under the supervision of a licensed dentist as provided in this chapter; provided that a licensed dental hygienist:
(1) May administer under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist only those categories of intra-oral block anesthesia listed in the course content submitted to the board pursuant to subsection (a);
(2) May practice under
the general supervision of a licensed dentist and pursuant to an existing
treatment plan with respect to patients of record who have had an examination
by the licensed dentist; provided that [a]:
(A) A
licensed dental hygienist shall not perform any irreversible procedure or
administer any intra-oral block anesthesia under general supervision; [and]
(B) A licensed dental hygienist shall have completed one year of dental hygiene practice
with a minimum experience of one thousand five hundred hours;
(C) A
licensed dental hygienist shall have completed at least four hours of coursework
on medical emergencies approved by the board of dental examiners and have
obtained a certification of completion of that coursework;
(D) A
licensed dental hygienist shall have on file in every office where the dental
hygienist practices documentation of:
(i) Permissible
practices for dental hygienists approved by the board of dental examiners;
(ii) Cardiopulmonary
resuscitation certification;
(iii) Basic
life support certification;
(iv) Hepatitis
B immunization; and
(v) Employment
by the supervising dentist or a contractual relationship with the supervising
dentist;
(E) Each patient treated by a dental hygienist shall consent to
treatment by the dental hygienist in the temporary absence of a licensed
dentist and that documentation shall be retained with the
patient's records; and
(F) The
supervising licensed dentist shall:
(i) Have
written emergency protocols in effect;
(ii) Sign and file with the board of dental examiners an attestation
form approved by the board of dental examiners authorizing the general
supervision of dental hygienists;
(iii) Conduct
an examination of the patient and a review of the patient's medical
history within the prior twelve-month period and document that examination and
review in the patient's record;
(iv) Order
in writing, treatment of the patient by a dental hygienist;
(v) Not
permit more than three registered dental hygienists to be employed by the
supervising licensed dentist in the absence of the supervising licensed
dentist; and
(vi) Not
be absent for more than fifteen consecutive days from the office where the
dental hygienist practices; provided that after the fifteenth day, no dental hygienists
at that office employed by the supervising licensed dentist shall practice
within the employment of the supervising dentist; and
(3) May practice under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist as provided in this chapter."
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, 2018.
INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Dental
Hygienists
Description:
Clarifies
the requirements for dental hygienists to practice under the general
supervision of a dentist, including requiring that the dental hygienists complete
1 year of employment, complete 4 hours of medical emergency coursework, and
retain various certifications and other documents at each office of
employment. Requires the supervising
licensed dentist to have written emergency protocols and authorization for the
general supervision of dental hygienists; to limit the number of generally supervised
dental hygienists to 3; and not take a leave of more than 15 days from the
office where a dental hygienist practices.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.