STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2137

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2188

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2188 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DENTISTRY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to include teeth whitening in the definition of dentistry.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Dental Examiners, the Hawaii Dental Association, and one individual.  Testimony commenting on this measure was received by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Regulated Industries Complaints Office.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that, according to testimony submitted by the Board of Dental Examiners, the procedure of teeth whitening is not merely a cosmetic procedure.  The Board of Dental Examiners testified that there is a potential that the teeth whitening procedure could result in harm to a patient's gums and teeth if not done correctly.

     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. 2188 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair