Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 568, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to improve Hawaii's dental care by allowing dental specialists that are licensed in a state with equivalent or higher licensing standards than Hawaii to be licensed in Hawaii without taking the state dental examination.

The Board of Dental Examiners, Hawaii Family Dental Centers, Tobin & Tobin, and numerous concerned individuals supported this bill. The Hawaii Dental Association, Hawaii Society of Orthodontists and numerous concerned individuals opposed this bill.

Your Committee finds that licensure by credential would allow dental specialists already in practice in other states to move their practice to Hawaii. This provision could increase the number of dental specialists in Hawaii and allow residents of our state greater access to specialty areas in oral health care. Denying licensure by credential to applicants unable to take the Hawaii dental licensure examination is counterproductive, particularly if the Hawaii dental licensure examination may not even have been administered.

There is also a critical shortage of general dentists willing to serve Hawaii's underserved populations, including those in rural areas and on the neighbor islands. General dentists differ from dental specialists in that their area of "specialty" is as primary care providers for patients of all ages. General dentists are responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management, and overall coordination of services related to patients' oral health needs.

As such, this bill has been amended by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 568, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 568, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.