STAND. COM. REP. NO. 391

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 162

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 162 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow the Board of Dentistry to issue without examination:

(1) A community service license to practice dental hygiene in the employment of a community health center and allow eligible candidates to submit as documentation and credentials, diplomas and certificates of graduation from a dental hygiene college or dental college that is recognized by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation, recognized and approved by the Board;

(2) A community service license to practice dentistry in the employment of a community health center and allow eligible candidates to submit as documentation and credentials, diplomas and certificates of graduation from a dental hygiene college or dental college that is recognized by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation, recognized and approved by the Board, and certificates or other evidence satisfactory to the Board of having passed the Integrated National Board Dental Examination; and

(3) A temporary license to practice dentistry exclusively under the auspices of a dental residency program, to graduates from a dental college accredited or recognized by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation, recognized and approved by the Board.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, AlohaCare, Hawai‘i Oral Health Coalition, Hawaii Dental Service, Hawaii Island Community Health Center, Hawai‘i Children’s Action Network (HCAN) Speaks!, Ho‘ōla Lāhui Hawai‘i, and eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Dentistry, University of Hawai‘i System, Hawaii Dental Association, and Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that oral health is a critical component of overall health and wellness, and increasing the number of available public health dentists and dental hygienists who primarily treat the State's underserved and vulnerable populations is crucial to address the noticeable shortage over the last few years. This measure will address the workforce shortage in the public health dental sector, improving access to quality dental care and help to reduce the State's oral health disparities.

Your Committee acknowledges testimony stating that currently, the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation only "recognizes" through a formal reciprocal agreement, dental educational programs that are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada as programs that are equivalent to ones accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation. Accordingly, there is a need to amend this measure to address this issue.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the issuance of community service licenses and temporary license without examination pursuant to this measure only applies to graduates of a dental college or dental hygiene college with a "reciprocal agreement" with the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation, rather than "recognized" by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation; and

(2) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

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. 162, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 162, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

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

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair