STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1411-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2280

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2280, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permit dental assistants to perform limited, essential duties under the general supervision of a licensed dentist in public health settings.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Board of Dentistry, Hawai‘i Oral Health Coalition, AlohaCare, Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, Hawaii Dental Association, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the State has been making great strides in addressing disparities in oral health care through community-based care delivered in public settings, such as school-based dental sealant programs and virtual dental home initiatives or teledentistry. However, many Hawaii residents, especially those on the neighbor islands and rural areas of Oahu, continue to face challenges because of the limits placed on oral health providers in public health settings.

Your Committee further finds that existing law prohibits dental assistants from providing auxiliary support except under the direct supervision of a dentist, which hinders the sustainability and viability of dental care programs in public health settings. This measure increases the overall capacity and number of dentists permitted to provide dental services via the community-based oral health models that require general supervision, which will help meet the oral health needs of the State's communities and improve access to dental care for Hawaii residents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the supervising dentist must be licensed in the State; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2280, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2280, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair