WSR 21-07-020
PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
(Dental Quality Assurance Commission)
[Filed March 8, 2021, 10:37 a.m.]
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-817-581 Novel coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination delegation. The dental quality assurance commission (commission) is considering permanent rule making allowing dentists to delegate administration of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination to licensed dental hygienists with close supervision and demonstration of competency.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, dentists are among the essential health providers who can safely administer vaccinations and help address this public health emergency. Mass vaccination across the state takes cooperation and coordination across the entire health system. Dentists and delegated dental hygienists can increase capacity for priority populations who may not otherwise be connected to the traditional health care system during the pandemic. Increased capacity of health care workers administering the COVID-19 vaccine will help Washington end this pandemic. Allowing delegation of COVID-19 vaccination to dental hygienists also assists dentists by reducing their workload to effectively continue providing dental care to patients.
On January 7, 2021, the commission approved emergency rule making for COVID-19 vaccination delegation. The commission intends for the emergency rule to be in place until the permanent rule is adopted.
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 Jennifer Santiago, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504, phone 360-236-4893, fax 360-236-2901, TTY 711, email jennifer.santiago@doh.wa.go [jennifer.santiago@doh.wa.gov], website www.doh.wa.gov/dental, dental@doh.wa.gov.
Additional comments: Interested parties may sign up for the program's interested parties list (GovDelivery) at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/subscriber/new. All rule-making notices will be emailed via GovDelivery. Rule development will take place in open public meetings prior to a formal rule proposal and comment period.
March 8, 2021
Trina Crawford
Executive Director