SB2957 Summary

• Allows dental hygienists to work in health care facilities, programs, or nonprofit organizations without prior patient examination by a dentist if the hygienist has 2,400 hours of clinical practice in the past 18 months (or 3,000 career hours) and enters a collaborative agreement with a licensed dentist.

• Requires dental hygienists performing services under collaborative agreements to maintain current CPR certification and documented participation in infection control and medical emergency courses within each continuing education cycle.

• Limits each licensed dentist to collaborative agreements with no more than 2 dental hygienists unless the Board authorizes otherwise, with agreements subject to annual review and Board inspection upon request.

• Restricts dental hygiene services under collaborative agreements to specific procedures including screening, charting, deposit removal, fluoride application, sealants, radiographs, and scaling/root planing.

• Requires collaborative agreements to include medical protocols, consent forms, sealant placement procedures, and dental record maintenance specifications, with all documents signed by the dentist, hygienist, and facility.