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GA SB248
Bill
Status
Introduced
3/31/2015
Primary Sponsor
Valencia Seay
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AI Summary
- Waives the direct supervision requirement for dental hygienists performing duties at approved safety net settings, including nonprofit clinics, long-term care facilities, federally qualified health centers, and school-based health centers, provided a Georgia-licensed dentist authorizes the procedures
- Exempts dental hygienists from direct supervision when serving Medicare or Medicaid patients, including pediatric patients and pregnant mothers, if authorized by a dentist licensed in Georgia who accepts those programs
- Requires the supervising dentist to maintain a physical dental practice in Georgia within 100 miles of the approved safety net setting and limits each dentist to delegating no more than eight dental hygienists for unsupervised duties at such settings
- Requires dental hygienists working without direct supervision to advise patients to seek a more thorough dental examination within 45 days and to maintain professional liability insurance with proof submitted to the board
- Addresses Georgia's dental access crisis, citing 118 of 159 counties as dental health professional shortage areas and noting 60,000 Georgians sought emergency dental care at Grady Memorial Hospital in 2009 at a cost of $25 million; effective date of January 1, 2017
Legislative Description
Dental and Dental Hygienists; provide for the profession of dental hygiene therapy; licensure
Last Action
Senate Read Second Time
2/10/2016
Committee Referrals
Health and Human Services4/2/2015
Full Bill Text
No bill text available