Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1229 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Board of Dental Examiners to grant licenses without examination to dental hygienists who are already licensed in other states with at least equivalent licensing requirements as Hawaii.

The Board of Dental Examiners and twenty-eight individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure.

Your Committee finds that there is a shortage of dental hygienists in Hawaii, with the shortage being critical on neighbor islands. Only twenty or so hygienists graduate from the University of Hawaii, Manoa each year and the majority of the graduates stay on Oahu. Most dental offices are presently in need of a hygienist. This shortage will adversely affect the public because it will take longer for patients to receive routine dental care. In some areas of Hawaii, patients wait up to six months for a regular dental cleaning. The time and cost of the state board examination deter qualified, experienced, out-of-state dental hygienists from moving to Hawaii.

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. 1229 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing.