CSHB 136(FIN): "An Act relating to dental hygienists."
00 CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 136(FIN) 01 "An Act relating to dental hygienists." 02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 03 * Section 1. AS 08.32 is amended by adding a new section to read: 04 Sec. 08.32.085. Restorative function license endorsement. (a) The board 05 shall issue a restorative function endorsement to a dental hygienist who is licensed 06 under this chapter if the licensee furnishes evidence satisfactory to the board that the 07 licensee has 08 (1) successfully completed a program accredited by the Commission 09 on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association or other course of 10 instruction approved by the board; and 11 (2) passed the Western Regional Examining Board's restorative 12 examination or other equivalent examination approved by the board within the five 13 years preceding the licensee's endorsement application, or the licensee is licensed in 14 another state or United States territory to perform restorative functions. 15 (b) An endorsement issued under this section authorizes a licensed dental
01 hygienist under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist to place restorations into a 02 cavity prepared by the licensed dentist and thereafter carve, contour, and adjust 03 contacts and occlusion of the restoration. 04 (c) The board may by regulation establish renewal and continuing education 05 requirements for an endorsement under this section. 06 * Sec. 2. AS 08.32.110(a) is amended to read: 07 (a) The role of the dental hygienist is to assist members of the dental 08 profession in providing oral health care to the public. A person licensed to practice the 09 profession of dental hygiene in the state may 10 (1) remove calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from the 11 exposed surfaces of the teeth beginning at the epithelial attachment by scaling and 12 polishing techniques; 13 (2) apply topical preventive agents; 14 (3) apply pit and fissure sealants; 15 (4) perform root planning and periodontal soft tissue curettage; 16 (5) perform other dental operations and services delegated by a 17 licensed dentist if the dental operations and services are not prohibited by (c) of this 18 section; and 19 (6) if certified by the board and under the direct, [OR] indirect, or 20 general supervision of a licensed dentist, administer local anesthetic agents. 21 * Sec. 3. AS 08.32.110 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 22 (e) This section does not prohibit a dental hygienist 23 (1) with an endorsement issued under AS 08.32.085 from performing 24 the activities authorized under AS 08.32.085; or 25 (2) who has entered into a collaborative agreement approved by the 26 board under AS 08.32.115 from performing the activities authorized under the 27 collaborative agreement. 28 * Sec. 4. AS 08.32 is amended by adding a new section to read: 29 Sec. 08.32.115. Collaborative agreements. (a) If the collaborative agreement 30 is approved by the board under (d) of this section, a dental hygienist with a minimum 31 of 4,000 documented hours of clinical experience within the five years preceding
01 application for the board's approval may enter into a collaborative agreement with a 02 dentist licensed under AS 08.36 in which the licensed dentist authorizes the dental 03 hygienist to perform one or more of the following: 04 (1) oral health promotion and disease prevention education; 05 (2) removal of calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from the 06 surfaces of teeth; 07 (3) application of topical preventive or prophylactic agents, including 08 fluoride varnishes and pit and fissure sealants; 09 (4) polishing and smoothing restorations; 10 (5) removal of marginal overhangs; 11 (6) preliminary charting and triage; 12 (7) radiographs; 13 (8) use of local periodontal therapeutic agents; and 14 (9) performance of nonsurgical periodontal therapy, with or without 15 the administration of local anesthesia, subsequent to a licensed dentist's authorization 16 or diagnosis as specified in the licensed hygienist's collaborative agreement. 17 (b) The services described in (a) of this section may be performed under a 18 collaborative agreement approved by the board 19 (1) without the presence of the licensed dentist; 20 (2) in a setting other than the usual place of practice of the licensed 21 dentist; and 22 (3) without the dentist's diagnosis and treatment plan unless otherwise 23 specified in the collaborative agreement or in (a) of this section. 24 (c) The board shall adopt regulations regarding approval of collaborative 25 agreements between licensed dental hygienists and licensed dentists. 26 (d) The board may approve a collaborative agreement between a licensed 27 dentist and a dental hygienist. However, the board may not approve more than five 28 collaborative agreements with a licensed dentist, not including any collaborative 29 agreements that have been terminated. A dental hygienist shall notify the board of the 30 termination of a collaborative agreement with a licensed dentist. 31 * Sec. 5. AS 08.32.140 is amended to read:
01 Sec. 08.32.140. Supervision required. A dental hygienist, other than a 02 dental hygienist practicing according to a collaborative agreement approved 03 under AS 08.32.115, may not practice except under the general supervision of a 04 licensed dentist or, if required by regulations adopted under AS 08.32.110(b), the 05 direct or indirect supervision of a licensed dentist.