STAND. COM. REP. NO.  508-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2458

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2458 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF DENTISTRY AND DENTAL HYGIENE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to change the composition of the Board of Dental Examiners in light of changes in dentistry by:

(1)  Changing the name of the "Board of Dental Examiners" to the "Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene"; and

(2)  Retaining the existing Board of Dentistry composition on the newly-established Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene (Board) until June 30, 2015, but thereafter:

(A)  Decreasing the total number of members on the Board from 12 members to 11 members, and the number of practicing dentists on the Board from eight members to five members;

(B)  Increasing the number of practicing dental hygienists on the Board from two members to four members;

(C)  Requiring that a minimum of one Board member be a practicing dentist with a background in public health dentistry or a license in community service dentistry; and

(D)  Specifying that no Board member shall be in any way connected with or interested financially in a dental examination company.

The Department of Health, Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, and numerous individuals supported this measure.  The Hawaii Dental Association and an individual opposed this measure.  The Board of Dental Examiners commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Specifying that practicing dentists who serve on the Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene must have practiced dentistry in the State for five years before their appointments;

(2)  Deleting the requirement regarding licensure in community service from the qualification requirements to serve as a practicing dentist on the Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene; and

(3)  Providing that a Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene member may be an examiner of a regional testing agency.

Noting the testimony on this bill regarding the composition of the Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene, your Committee respectfully requests that continued discussion on the composition of the board be taken up by the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

     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 H.B. No. 2458, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2458, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair