STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1408

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 162

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 162, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DENTISTRY LICENSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand access to dental care by:

(1) Adding community health centers to the list of eligible organizations at which those with a community service license may practice;

(2) Allowing dental hygiene and dental college graduates who have graduated from educational programs with a reciprocal agreement with the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation to apply for temporary or community service licenses;

(3) Expanding eligibility for a community service licensee to practice dentistry to those candidates who have passed the Integrated National Board Dental Examination within five years of the date of request; and

(4) Allowing an applicant for licensure to practice dentistry to submit evidence to the Board of Dentistry that the applicant passed the Integrated National Board Dental Examination.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; AlohaCare; Hawai‘i Oral Health Coalition; Hawaii Dental Service; We Are One, Inc.; Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!; Ho‘ola Lahui Hawaii; Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association; and six individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Dentistry, Hawaii Dental Association, and Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that there is a significant shortage of public oral health providers who serve the State's most underserved and vulnerable populations, including Medicaid recipients. Currently, there are only three hundred thirty-nine active Medicaid dentists in the State serving a population of more than 288,000. With the reinstatement of dental benefits for adults insured through Medicaid in 2022, demand for providers will only increase. This measure is intended to address the State's workforce shortages in the public dental sector and increase access to dental care on the neighbor islands and in rural areas by broadening the pool of individuals who may be eligible for a community service license.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Including rural health clinics and mobile dental outreach programs to the list of eligible organizations at which those with a community service license may practice;

(2) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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 Health & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 162, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 162, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair