Bill Text: CA SB653 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Dental hygienists: registered dental hygienist in alternative practice: scope of practice.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2020-09-24 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 130, Statutes of 2020. [SB653 Detail]
Download: California-2019-SB653-Chaptered.html
Senate Bill
No. 653
CHAPTER 130
An act to amend Sections 1911, 1925, 1926, and 1926.05 of, and to add Sections 1911.5 and 1926.01 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.
[
Approved by
Governor
September 24, 2020.
Filed with
Secretary of State
September 24, 2020.
]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 653, Chang.
Dental hygienists: registered dental hygienist in alternative practice: scope of practice.
Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of the practice of registered dental hygienists, registered dental hygienists in extended functions, and registered dental hygienists in alternative practice by the Dental Hygiene Board of California within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law makes certain violations of specific provisions relating to healing arts by a licensee a crime.
Existing law specifies the scope of practice of a registered dental hygienist and requires any procedure performed by a registered dental hygienist that does not specifically require direct supervision of a dentist to be performed under the general supervision of a dentist. Existing law authorizes a registered dental hygienist to provide, without supervision, dental hygiene preventive services in addition to oral
screenings in a specified federal, state, or local public health program.
This bill would authorize a registered dental hygienist to provide, without supervision, fluoride varnish to a patient. The bill would additionally authorize a registered dental hygienist to provide dental hygiene preventive services and oral screenings at specified sponsored events and nonprofit organizations.
Existing law authorizes a registered dental hygienist in alternative practice to perform any of the duties or functions authorized to be performed by a registered dental hygienist as an employee of a dentist, as an employee of another registered dental hygienist in alternative practice, as an employee of specified clinics, or as an employee of a professional corporation. Existing law authorizes a registered dental hygienist in alternative practice to perform additional duties and functions in residences of the homebound, schools, residential
facilities and other institutions, and dental health professional shortage areas, as provided, and requires that interim therapeutic tooth restorations that are performed in these settings be done under the general supervision of a dentist.
This bill would instead
authorize a registered dental hygienist in alternative practice to practice in specified clinics or in a professional corporation without being an employee of that clinic or professional corporation. The bill would additionally authorize a registered dental hygienist in alternative practice to perform specified functions and duties of a registered dental hygienist in dental offices or both dental or medical settings, as specified.
This
bill would also authorize a registered dental hygienist in alternative practice to perform soft-tissue curettage and administration of local anesthesia with documented consultation with a collaborating dentist in the residences of the homebound, residential facilities and
other institutions,
medical settings that a residential facility patient has been transferred to for outpatient services, dental health professional shortage areas, and dental offices, as long as a specified protocols are followed. The bill would remove the general supervision requirement for interim therapeutic tooth restorations that are performed in specified settings and instead would require that a diagnosis, treatment plan, and instruction be provided
by a dentist prior to performing the procedure.
Because a violation of certain provisions of the bill would be a crime, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 1911 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:1911.
(a) A registered dental hygienist may provide, without supervision, educational services, oral health training programs, and oral health screenings.(b) A registered dental hygienist shall refer any screened patients with possible oral abnormalities to a dentist for a comprehensive examination, diagnosis, and treatment plan.
(c) In any public health program created by federal, state, or local law or administered by a federal, state, county, or local governmental entity, at a sponsored event by a sponsoring
entity or at a nonprofit organization, a registered dental hygienist may provide, without supervision, dental hygiene preventive services in addition to oral screenings, including, but not limited to, the application of fluorides and pit and fissure sealants. A registered dental hygienist practicing as described in this subdivision may submit, or allow to be submitted, any insurance or third-party claims for patient services performed as authorized in this article.
(d) For purposes of this section, the following shall apply:
(1) “Nonprofit organization” means a
tax-exempt nonprofit corporation supported and maintained in whole or in substantial part by donations, bequests, gifts, grants, government funds, or contributions, in the form of money, goods, or services, where dental hygiene services are performed. A nonprofit organization shall not be construed to be engaging in the unlicensed practice of dentistry.
(2) “Sponsored event” shall be defined as in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 1626.6.
(3) “Sponsoring entity” shall be defined as in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b) of Section 1626.6.
SEC. 2.
Section 1911.5 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:1911.5.
Notwithstanding Section 1912, a registered dental hygienist may provide, without supervision, fluoride varnish to a patient.SEC. 3.
Section 1925 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:1925.
A registered dental hygienist in alternative practice may practice, pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 1907, subdivision (a) of Section 1908, subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 1910, Section 1910.5, and Section 1926.05 as an employee of a dentist or of another registered dental hygienist in alternative practice, as an independent contractor, as a sole proprietor of an alternative dental hygiene practice, in a primary care clinic or specialty clinic that is licensed pursuant to Section 1204 of the Health and Safety Code, in a primary care clinic exempt from licensure pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1206 of the Health and Safety Code, in a clinic owned or operated by a public hospital or health system, in a clinic owned and operated by a hospital that maintains the primary contract with a county government to fill the county’s role under Section 17000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or in a professional corporation under the Moscone-Knox Professional Corporation Act (commencing with Section 13400) of Part 4 of Division 3 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code.SEC. 4.
Section 1926 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:1926.
In addition to practices authorized in Section 1925, a registered dental hygienist in alternative practice may perform the duties authorized pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 1907, subdivision (a) of Section 1908, and subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 1910 in the following settings:(a) Residences of the homebound.
(b) Schools.
(c) Residential facilities and other
institutions and medical settings that a residential facility patient has been transferred to for outpatient services.
(d) Dental health professional shortage areas, as certified by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development in accordance with existing office guidelines.
(e) Dental offices.
SEC. 5.
Section 1926.01 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:1926.01.
(a) In addition to practices authorized in Section 1925, a registered dental hygienist in alternative practice may perform the duties authorized pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 1909 with documented consultation with a collaborating dentist in the following settings:(1) Residences of the homebound.
(2) Residential facilities and other institutions and medical settings that a residential facility patient has been transferred to for outpatient
services.
(3) Dental health professional shortage areas, as certified by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development in
accordance with existing office guidelines.
(4) Dental offices.
(b) The registered dental hygienist in alternative practice shall have all of the following immediately available when services authorized in this section are being performed:
(1) One additional individual trained in basic life support qualified to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation during an emergency.
(2) Equipment and supplies for emergency response, including oxygen.
SEC. 6.
Section 1926.05 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:1926.05.
(a) In addition to the duties specified in Section 1926, a registered dental hygienist in alternative practice is authorized to perform the duties pursuant to Section 1910.5, in the following settings:(1) Residences of the homebound.
(2) Schools.
(3) Residential facilities and other institutions.
(4) Dental or medical settings.
(5) Dental health professional shortage areas, as certified by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development in accordance with existing office guidelines.
(b) A registered dental hygienist in alternative practice is authorized to perform the duties pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 1910.5 in the settings specified in this section after there has been a diagnosis, treatment plan, and instruction to perform the procedure provided by a dentist.
