The House Executive Departments and Administration Committee has held hearings on, and its licensing subcommittee is now considering, three pieces of dental-related legislation. The Committee has until February 18th to act on these proposals:
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HB 1145 - relative to the practice of dental hygienists. This would allow dental hygienists to engage in direct access to the public for the practice of dental hygiene under rules adopted by the board of dentistry. NHDHA does not support HB 1145 and registered in opposition to the bill at last week's hearing.
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HB 1235 - relative to regulation of dentistry by the board of dental examiners. This is a "housekeeping" bill - i.e., to correct sections of the law dealing with proceedings of the Board of Dental Examiners, the use of moderate sedation, and the regulation of teeth whitening services. It was proposed by the Board of Dental Examiners. NHDHA has taken no position on the bill.
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HB 1593 - establishing a board of dental hygienists. As we reported in our last email alert, HB 1593 is NHDHA's policy priority for 2010. We believe that an independent board for dental hygienists would provide a climate more conducive to access to care in New Hampshire.
The Oral Health Plan was developed in 2003 by a very broad coalition of healthcare providers, educators, advocates and policymakers - not just dental professionals. We noted in our testimony to House ED&A that a number of the Plan's goals relative to workforce still need to be addressed, and that HB 1593 is the next step to reaching these goals, which include:
Objective
III.A.1. Maximize the capacity of the oral health workforce to address the needs of the population.
Strategies
III.A.1.a. Establish a task force comprised of appropriate leaders and policymakers to monitor and address the changing needs of the population.
III.A.1.a.(i). Conduct periodic evaluations of the workforce model, and refine as necessary to address the evolving needs and demands of the population.
III.A.1.a.(ii). Develop flexibility in workforce policies to assure that population needs can be met in a timely and effective manner.
III.A.1.b. Develop and promote career counseling at all New Hampshire high schools to encourage students to pursue careers in oral health.
III.A.1.c. Recruit more dentists, especially those who see high risk and vulnerable populations such as the economically disadvantaged, young children, the elderly, the developmentally disabled, and those with HIV/AIDS, to offset a provider shortage in New Hampshire.
III.A.1.c.(i). Pursue the potential to fund positions for New Hampshire students at New England dental schools. III.A.1.c.(ii). Continue to provide loan repayment to dentists willing to serve New Hampshire's indigent and high risk populations.
III.A.1.d. Pursue the use of dental externs and residents by establishing training programs at safety net facilities.
Food for thought as we work toward true professional status for dental hygienists in the state of New Hampshire.
Susanne Kuehl, President
New Hampshire Dental Hygienists' Association
