SB 1124 Summary

• Establishes new licensure pathway for oral preventive assistants who must complete a board-approved training course with at least 120 hours of didactic and clinical instruction from a qualifying institution.

• Requires oral preventive assistant applicants to hold current CPR certification, board-approved coronal polishing and radiography certifications, and either national board certification in dental assisting or completion of an accredited dental assisting program.

• Limits oral preventive assistant scope of practice to removing plaque, calculus, and stains on periodontally healthy patients or those with localized mild gingivitis who have received prior periodontal evaluation by a dentist or hygienist; prohibits air polishing and treatment of patients with prior periodontal disease, generalized recession, medical compromise, or sedation.

• Requires oral preventive assistants to inform patients and document that care was not provided by a licensed dental provider, and prominently display their certificate of completion.

• Mandates direct supervision with dentists limited to supervising not more than three oral preventive assistants at one time and dental hygienists limited to supervising one; requires state board to report data on oral preventive assistant practices and complaints by January 1, 2029, with this reporting requirement repealing June 30, 2029.