STAND. COM. REP. NO. 348-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1671

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1671 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permit licensed dental hygienists to place interim therapeutic restorations 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; Hawaii Board of Dentistry; Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services; AlohaCare; Hawaiʻi Oral Health Coalition; Hawaii Dental Service; Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association; Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; and six individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Dental Association.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii continues to face significant and preventable oral health disparities, particularly among children, neighbor island residents, Native Hawaiians, and individuals from lower‑income households. Your Committee further finds that interim therapeutic restorations are an effective, minimally invasive, and evidence-based strategy for addressing tooth decay when dental restoration in a traditional setting is not feasible. Interim therapeutic restorations are also a type of therapy that can be safely carried out by a dental hygienist under the general supervision of a dentist. This measure seeks to improve oral health outcomes, promote health equity, and support more efficient delivery of dental care across the State by removing unnecessary restrictions on the types of treatment that may be performed by a supervised dental hygienist.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; 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 Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1671, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1671, 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,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair