HBA-CMT H.B. 411 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 411 By: Maxey Public Health 3/8/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE According to the Centers for Disease Control, one of the most common infectious diseases among children is tooth decay. Oral diseases are progressive and cumulative, and become more complex over time. They can affect a person's appearance, ability to eat foods, and the way the person communicates. House Bill 411 amends the scope of practice for hygienists to allow a licensed dentist to delegate to a trained dental assistant the application of sealants, and also allows a dentist to send a hygienist to a public clinic, group home, public school, or long-term care facility to perform preventative oral care procedures and screening. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 411 amends the Occupations Code relating to the delegation of certain acts by dentists. The bill authorizes a licensed dentist who is a Medicaid provider to delegate to a qualified and trained dental assistant acting under the dentist's direct supervision the application of a pit and fissure sealant and root planing or the smoothing and polishing of exposed teeth. The bill authorizes a licensed dentist to delegate a service, task, or procedure, including the application of a pit and fissure sealant, to a dental hygienist without complying with supervisory requirements if the hygienist has at least two years' experience in the practice of dental hygiene, and the service, task, or procedure is performed in a facility serving an underserved population. The patient must be referred to a licensed dentist after the completion of a service, task, or procedure performed by a hygienist. The bill authorizes a dental assistant who is not professionally licensed to apply a pit and fissure sealant only if the assistant has at least two years' experience as an assistant, and is certified by the State Board of Dental Examiners (board) for application of a sealant, and is certified by the board to perform the act. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.