SB2075 SD1 SSCR2035

 

STAND. COM. REP. NO.2035

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.B. No. 2075

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2075 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure, as received, is to increase the availability of licensed dental hygienists to provide oral services by enabling them to perform under general supervision of a licensed dentist.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Kona Krafts, Healthy Start, Mobile Care Health Project, and twenty-five individuals. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by Honolulu Periodontics and thirty-two individuals. Comments were submitted by the Board of Dental Examiners.

Your Committee finds that licensed dental hygienists are highly trained individuals and are capable of performing a variety of needed services. Your Committee further finds that under this measure, the determination as to whether a hygienist may perform expanded services is left to the discretion of the dentist under whose supervision the hygienist will practice. However, your Committee is concerned that dentists and hygienists may not agree on such determinations.

Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by providing that the dental hygienists may only practice under general supervision in a public health setting. Your Committee has also amended this measure by requesting that the Board of Dental Examiners evaluate the amendments to section 447-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and report its findings as well as any proposed legislation to the 2007 legislature.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2075, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2075, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

		____________________________ DAVID MATSUURA, Chair