Subject of Possible Rule Making: Dental hygienist compact (compact). The department of health (department), in consultation with the dental hygiene examining committee (committee), is considering establishing new section(s) of rule to chapter 246-815 WAC in order to implement ESHB 1576 (chapter 297, Laws of 2023), codified as chapter 18.33 RCW, which creates a new interstate compact for dental hygienists and gives member states the discretion to charge a fee for granting compact privileges.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Chapter 18.33 RCW is intended to facilitate the interstate practice of dental hygiene. The result will provide a pathway for dental hygienists licensed in a participating state to obtain a compact practice privilege that authorizes them to practice in another participating state where they are not otherwise licensed. The dental hygienist is subject to all scope of practice laws governing dental hygiene services of the state in which they are practicing. The compact enables participating states to protect the public health and safety with respect to the practice of dental hygiene through the state's authority to regulate the practice of dental hygiene.

Rule making is necessary to enact provisions in chapter 18.33 RCW to include Washington state in a compact with multiple states. The compact will allow dental hygienists to obtain expedited practice privileges across any or all compact member states.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Kitty Einert, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504, phone 360-236-4843, fax 360-236-2901, TTY 711, email kitty.einert@doh.wa.gov, website www.doh.wa.dov [www.doh.wa.gov], https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/subscriber/new.

Additional comments: The department will use the existing GovDelivery list to inform interested parties of opportunities to provide input on proposed rule language. Interested parties can join the GovDelivery list to get information on participating in the process by subscribing at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/subscriber/new.