CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO.68-02
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2002
RE: S.B. No. 2075
S.D. 2
H.D. 1
C.D. 1
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2002
State of Hawaii
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2002
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2075, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DENTAL HYGIENISTS,"
having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.
The purpose of this measure is to allow licensed dental hygienists to operate under the general or direct supervision of a licensed dentist in public health settings.
Hawaii's children suffer from high rates of dental caries and baby bottle tooth decay. The Dental Health Division of the Department of Health, which provides dental hygiene services in Hawaii's public schools, is only able to access one third of the schools every third year due to budgetary constraints. In addition, many adults lack proper dental care due to lack of insurance or the unavailability of dental care in rural areas.
To address the need for better access to dental care, this measure authorizes licensed dental hygienists to provide dental education and fluoride application services under the direct or general supervision of a licensed dentist in public health settings. "Public health setting" is defined to include nursing homes, adult day care centers, assisted living facilities, mental institutions, and nonprofit health clinics, in addition to currently authorized public health settings for the provision of dental hygiene services. Direct reimbursements to dental hygienists practicing in public health settings is prohibited. In addition, this measure requires all dental hygienists to complete courses in pharmacology and medical emergencies.
Your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its contents with the language of S.B. No. 2075, S.D. 2. As amended, this measure:
(1) Contains legislative findings and purpose provisions;
(2) Includes hospitals within the definition of "public health setting";
(3) Allows dental hygienists to conduct dental screenings in public health settings;
(4) Limits the requirement that the provision of dental hygiene services in public health settings be prescreened and authorized by a supervising licensed dentist to the provision of services other than dental education, dental screening, and fluoride application;
(5) Removes the limitation on the category of nursing home patients that may receive services from a dental hygienist;
(6) Removes the requirement of coursework in pharmacology and medical emergencies for dental hygienists;
(7) Requires the Board of Dental Examiners to study the effects of this measure as it relates to the safety and efficacy of providing dental hygiene services in public health settings, and to report its findings to the 2007 Legislature; and
(8) Takes effect upon its approval, rather than on July 1, 2050.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2075, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2075, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:
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ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE |
ON THE PART OF THE SENATE |
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____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Co-Chair |
____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair |
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____________________________ MICHAEL P. KAHIKINA, Co-Chair |
____________________________ DAVID M. MATSUURA, Co-Chair |
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____________________________ KENNETH T. HIRAKI, Co-Chair |
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____________________________ BOB NAKASONE, Co-Chair |