Legislation update
Legislation of Importance
To Dental Hygienists
March 2020
California Dental Hygienists are, for the time being, unique in the country in having their own regulatory board. This is a big deal for any group as it is one of the criteria for being a true profession. The California Dental Hygienists’ Association (CDHA) is working to allow dental hygienists to work to their full scope of practice. To better understand this go to http://www.oralhealthworkforce.org/resources/variation-in-dental-hygiene-scope-of-practice-by-state/ to view a graphic representation of duties state by state.
In 2019, CDHA sponsored state legislation, Senate Bill 653, toincrease access to dental hygiene services by making several changes the California Dental Practice Act.
Dental hygienists applying fluoride varnish are required to do so under dental supervision. It is hard to believe that a nurse, teacher or others could apply varnish in a public health setting, but not a dental hygienist. It is unreasonable. SB 653 fixes this by allowing dental hygienists to apply fluoride varnish without supervision. This will allow the service to be provided in more settings to more people.
The State Dental Director, pointed out that the word “employed” in Section 1911 of the Business & Professions Code is a barrier to utilizing dental hygienists in public health programs. SB 653 removes “employed” to allow hygienists to contract with public health entities to reach more underserved people with critical dental hygiene care and expands the type of public health settings in which a dental hygienist can work.
Hygienists have the potential to prevent more dental disease by being able to reach children and parents in a pediatrician’s office. Why should practice sites be so restrictive? Hygienists should be deployed where they can make the greatest impact. A goal of SB 653 is to allow dental hygienists to work in medical settings. Bill language around medical settings is limited in the bill now, but will continue to be worked on with stakeholders as the bill moves through the legislative process.
Registered Dental Hygienists in Alternative Practice (RDHAPs) could do an even better job if they were able to utilize local anesthesia for root planing. SB 653 allows RDHAPs to utilize local anesthesia with safety and emergency protocols in place. CDHA worked with the California Dental Association (CDA) to address CDA’s safety concerns. The result made the bill stronger and more supportable by legislators by adding a requirement of having oxygen as well as a 2nd person with CPR training available when using local anesthesia.
In 2020, SB 653 passed the Senate after being amended in collaboration with the CDA, legislative committees and the Dental Hygiene Board of California. SB 653 will next be heard in the Assembly in June before it would be on its way to the Governor’s desk for signature or veto in the fall. If the bill is amended in the Assembly the bill would go back to the Senate for a vote to concur in the amendments before going to the Governor’s desk.
To Dental Hygienists
March 2020
California Dental Hygienists are, for the time being, unique in the country in having their own regulatory board. This is a big deal for any group as it is one of the criteria for being a true profession. The California Dental Hygienists’ Association (CDHA) is working to allow dental hygienists to work to their full scope of practice. To better understand this go to http://www.oralhealthworkforce.org/resources/variation-in-dental-hygiene-scope-of-practice-by-state/ to view a graphic representation of duties state by state.
In 2019, CDHA sponsored state legislation, Senate Bill 653, toincrease access to dental hygiene services by making several changes the California Dental Practice Act.
Dental hygienists applying fluoride varnish are required to do so under dental supervision. It is hard to believe that a nurse, teacher or others could apply varnish in a public health setting, but not a dental hygienist. It is unreasonable. SB 653 fixes this by allowing dental hygienists to apply fluoride varnish without supervision. This will allow the service to be provided in more settings to more people.
The State Dental Director, pointed out that the word “employed” in Section 1911 of the Business & Professions Code is a barrier to utilizing dental hygienists in public health programs. SB 653 removes “employed” to allow hygienists to contract with public health entities to reach more underserved people with critical dental hygiene care and expands the type of public health settings in which a dental hygienist can work.
Hygienists have the potential to prevent more dental disease by being able to reach children and parents in a pediatrician’s office. Why should practice sites be so restrictive? Hygienists should be deployed where they can make the greatest impact. A goal of SB 653 is to allow dental hygienists to work in medical settings. Bill language around medical settings is limited in the bill now, but will continue to be worked on with stakeholders as the bill moves through the legislative process.
Registered Dental Hygienists in Alternative Practice (RDHAPs) could do an even better job if they were able to utilize local anesthesia for root planing. SB 653 allows RDHAPs to utilize local anesthesia with safety and emergency protocols in place. CDHA worked with the California Dental Association (CDA) to address CDA’s safety concerns. The result made the bill stronger and more supportable by legislators by adding a requirement of having oxygen as well as a 2nd person with CPR training available when using local anesthesia.
In 2020, SB 653 passed the Senate after being amended in collaboration with the CDA, legislative committees and the Dental Hygiene Board of California. SB 653 will next be heard in the Assembly in June before it would be on its way to the Governor’s desk for signature or veto in the fall. If the bill is amended in the Assembly the bill would go back to the Senate for a vote to concur in the amendments before going to the Governor’s desk.