WSR 14-04-019

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed January 27, 2014, 7:24 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-817-701 through 246-817-760 and 246-817-771 through 246-817-790, administration of anesthetic agents for dental procedures. The dental quality assurance commission (commission) is considering changing monitoring and equipment requirements when dentists administer anesthetic agents for dental procedures. Excluded is WAC 246-817-770, which is opened separately for targeted modifications.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 18.32.0365 and 18.32.640.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Dentists must comply with requirements listed in WAC 246-817-701 through 246-817-790 when administering any type of anesthetic agents for a dental procedure. This includes local anesthesia, minimal sedation, moderate sedation, deep sedation/analgesia, and general anesthesia. Amendments may be needed to align existing rules with national practice standards currently being used by dentists. The commission wants to evaluate this portion of chapter 246-817 WAC to consider changing the monitoring and equipment requirements to help safeguard patients and to remain consistent with the recognized standard of care.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

Process for Developing New Rule: Collaborative rule making.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Department of Health, Dental Quality Assurance Commission, Jennifer Santiago, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504, (360) 236-4893, jennifer.santiago@doh.wa.gov. Interested parties may sign up for the commission's listserv at http://listserv.wa.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=dental-qac&A=1. Notices will be e-mailed through the commission's listserv to its interested parties list. Stakeholders will be invited to participate in open public commission meetings and committee meetings where rule drafting will occur.

January 24, 2014

Trina Castle

Executive Director