Bill Text: MS SB2550 | 2026 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Dental hygienists; revise certain requirements for and provisions regarding practice under general supervision.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Failed) 2026-02-03 - Died In Committee [SB2550 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2026-SB2550-Introduced.html

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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Public Health and Welfare

By: Senator(s) Blackwell

Senate Bill 2550

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 73-9-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR DENTAL HYGIENISTS PRACTICING UNDER GENERAL SUPERVISION; TO UPDATE CPR AND CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS; TO AUTHORIZE DENTAL HYGIENE PRACTICE UNDER GENERAL SUPERVISION IN LICENSED NURSING HOMES, INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGED OR INFIRM AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES; TO ALLOW PATIENTS IN LICENSED NURSING HOMES, INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGED OR INFIRM AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES TO BE SEEN FOUR TIMES CONSECUTIVELY UNDER GENERAL SUPERVISION; TO LIMIT THE SERVICES THAT MAY BE PROVIDED IN SUCH SETTINGS TO NONINVASIVE ROUTINE SERVICES; TO REVISE LIMITATIONS ON SUPERVISION AND PATIENT ELIGIBILITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  Section 73-9-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     73-9-5.  (1)  For the purpose of this chapter, a dental hygienist shall be an individual who has completed an accredited dental hygiene education program, passed the national dental hygiene board and is licensed by the State Board of Dental Examiners to provide, as an auxiliary to the dentist, preventive care services including, but not limited to, scaling and polishing.  In fulfilling these services, dental hygienists provide treatment that helps to prevent oral disease such as dental caries and periodontal disease and for educating patients in prevention of these and other dental problems.

     (2)  No person shall practice dental hygiene in a manner that is separate or independent from a supervising dentist, or establish or maintain an office or a practice that is primarily devoted to the provision of dental hygiene services.

     (3)  Under general supervision, a dental hygienist may provide to patients of record, for not more than ten (10) consecutive business days, all dental hygiene services (except the administration of nitrous oxide inhalation or local anesthesia, which must be under direct supervision) if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

          (a)  The dental hygienist has practiced dental hygiene * * * in the State of Mississippi for a minimum of five (5) years, such five-year period having been determined by the board as equivalent to a minimum of six thousand (6,000) hours of dental hygiene practice;

          (b)  The dental hygienist * * * has submits evidence of current CPR certification and completion within the previous twelve (12) months of three (3) hours of board-approved continuing dental education focused on medical emergencies, and complies with the established protocols for emergencies that the supervising dentist has established;

          (c)  The supervising dentist examined the patient of record not more than seven (7) months before the date that the dental hygienist provides the dental hygiene services;

          (d)  The dental hygienist provides dental hygiene services to the patient of record in accordance with a written treatment protocol prescribed by the supervising dentist for the patient;

          (e)  The patient of record is notified in advance of the appointment that the supervising dentist will be absent from the location;

          (f)  No licensed dental hygienist, under general supervision, may delegate or supervise any dental hygiene duties for a dental assistant; and

          (g)  The supervising dentist is responsible for all actions of the dental hygienist during treatment of patients under general supervision.

     (4)  The following limitations also apply to the practice of dental hygiene under general supervision:

          (a)  No entity may employ dental hygienists to provide treatment for patients of record under general supervision other than:

              (i)  A nonprofit entity that meets the statutory, regulatory and program requirements for grantees supported by the Public Health Service and that has supervision by a Mississippi licensed dentist; * * * or

              (ii)  An office owned by a dentist or group of dentists licensed in Mississippi * * * or;

              (iii)  A licensed nursing home as defined by Section 73-17-5;

              (iv)  An institution for the aged or infirm as defined by Section 43-11-1;

               (v)  A public or private prison, detention center or other correctional facility; or

              (vi)  A business, organization, or entity that employs or contracts with Mississippi licensed dentists and dental hygienists to provide oral care in licensed nursing homes as defined by Section 73-17-5 or institutions for the aged or infirm as defined by Section 43-11-1, or in public or private prisons, detention centers or other correctional facilities.

          (b)  No duly licensed and registered dentist shall supervise more than three (3) dental hygienists under general supervision at any one time.

 * * *  (c)  No duly licensed and registered dentist shall supervise a dental hygienist for more than ten (10) consecutive business days or for more than twenty‑four (24) total days in any calendar year.

          ( * * *dc)  No patient may be seen twice consecutively under general supervision, except for patients in licensed nursing homes or institutions for the aged or infirm, or in public or private prisons, detention centers or other correctional facilities, who may be seen four (4) times consecutively under general supervision.

          ( * * *ed)  An examination fee must not be charged if a patient is seen under general supervision.

          ( * * *fe)  The patient undergoing dental hygiene services under general supervision must be a minimum of eighteen (18) years of age * * *, and either ASA Class I or ASA Class II as defined by the American Society of Anesthesiologist Physical Status Classification System.

          (f)  In the settings described in paragraph (a)(iii) through (vi) of this subsection (4), a dental hygienist practicing under general supervision may provide only noninvasive routine services, including oral prophylaxis, topical fluoride treatments, dental sealants, oral health screenings and patient education.  A dental hygienist practicing under general supervision in these settings shall not perform any invasive procedures, including tooth scaling and root planing, or any other procedure that requires the physical presence of a supervising dentist under direct supervision.

     (5)  Notwithstanding the above subsections of this section, a dental hygienist licensed in Mississippi may perform radiographs, oral prophylaxis, and place fluoride varnish without a Mississippi licensed dentist being physically present in the office if all of the other conditions of this section are met.

 * * * (6)  The board shall be authorized to assess the need for dental hygiene services in nursing facilities and correctional facilities and authorize the general supervision of dental hygienists in those facilities, provided that such dental hygiene services are provided in accordance with all of the conditions of this section.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.

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