STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1504

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 374

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 374, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DENTAL ASSISTANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify the scope of practice of a dental assistant.

     Specifically, the measure:

(1)  Prohibits the Board of Dental Examiners from adopting rules for dental assistants that infringe upon, overlap with, or conflict with the duties and scope of practice for any other licensed professional;

(2)  Prohibits persons from employing dental assistants to perform services or procedures within the scope of practice of dental hygiene, unless the dental assistant is a licensed dental hygienist; and

(3)  Requires the Auditor to conduct a sunrise analysis of Kapiolani Community College's certification program for dental assistants.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association and thirteen individuals.  Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Board of Dental Examiners.

     Your Committee believes that increased access to oral health care is of the utmost importance to the State, provided that safety is not compromised.  This measure protects the public and promotes dental health by disallowing untrained, unlicensed, and unregulated personnel from performing duties that historically required education, testing, and licensure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting part I, which prohibits the Board of Dental Examiners from adopting rules for dental assistants that infringe upon, overlap with, or conflict with the duties and scope of practice for any other licensed professional and further prohibits persons from employing dental assistants to perform the work of a dental hygienist.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 374, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 374, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair