HB4441 Summary

• Allows dental hygienists to work in nonprofit organizations and public health settings, expanding employment options beyond traditional dental offices and government agencies.

• Establishes "remote supervision" framework enabling dental hygienists with collaborative agreements to provide examinations and screenings without dentist physical presence, with patients referred to dentists within 12 months.

• Permits dental hygienists with 2,400 hours practice in past 18 months (or 3,000 career hours) to provide services without prior dentist examination if they have collaborative agreement, infection control/emergency training, and current CPR certification.

• Limits dentists to collaborative agreements with maximum 4 dental hygienists unless Board authorizes otherwise, with agreements requiring specific protocols for patient consent, medical conditions, procedures, and record maintenance.

• Changes implementation timelines from 120 and 180 days to uniform 12-month periods for dental services in school-based and long-term care settings.