HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1801

                       As Passed House

                       March 12, 1993

Title:  An act relating to granting temporary licenses to dental hygienists licensed in another state.

Brief Description:  Granting temporary licenses to dental hygienists licensed in another state.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representatives Morris, Flemming, Dellwo, Dyer, Zellinsky, Dorn, Valle, Rayburn, Ludwig, Bray, Pruitt and Long).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Health Care, March 2, 1993, DPS;

Passed House, March 12, 1993, 98-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 16 members:  Representatives Dellwo, Chair; L. Johnson, Vice Chair; Dyer, Ranking Minority Member; Ballasiotes, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Campbell; Conway; Cooke; Flemming; R. Johnson; Lisk; Mastin; Mielke; Morris; Thibaudeau; and Veloria.

Staff:  John Welsh (786-7133).

Background:  Under the "licensure by endorsement" law, an applicant for licensure as a dental hygienist in this state, holding a license and currently engaged in practice in another state, may be granted a license without examination if the secretary determines that the other state's licensing standards are substantively equivalent to the standards in this state.

In the field of dental hygiene, the licensing standards of other states are not substantively equivalent to those of this state because of the more expansive scope of practice authorized for dental hygienists here. Therefore it is unlikely that dental hygienists licensed in other states would qualify for licensure by endorsement here. The purpose of the law is to facilitate the interstate mobility of qualified health practitioners who desire to practice in this state, thereby improving access of the public to those services.

Summary of Bill:  A dental hygienist holding a license to practice from another state and engaged in active practice, shall upon application be given a temporary license to practice in this state without examination. The duration of this license is 18 months and is not renewable. Active practice constitutes a minimum of 560 hours of practice within a 24-month period preceding the application.

The applicant is required to document licensure in another state and graduation from an accredited school approved by the secretary, provide information relative to possible unprofessional conduct, demonstrate a knowledge of the dental hygiene practice law, pay required fees, and meet requirements for asepsis and AIDS education.

The scope of practice for dental hygienists holding temporary licenses is limited to specified basic dental hygiene services. In no event may the license holder perform injections of local anesthetics except by special endorsement; place, carve or adjust restorations for fitting except by special endorsement; do soft-tissue curettage; or administer nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia.

Applicants not meeting state licensing standards in restorative or local anesthetic must demonstrate completion of approved education in these procedures before being eligible to take the dental hygiene examination.

The secretary of the Department of Health is authorized to develop rules to administer this act.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date of Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Dental hygienists licensed in other states should be encouraged to practice here.  There is a shortage of dental hygienists that can be met by this unique process.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Dr. Vic Barry, Washington State Dental Association (pro); Barbara Kempkes (pro); Trina Poulsen, Doreen Naughton, Washington State Dental Hygienists Association (pro with amendments); and Sue Shoblom, Department of Health (pro with amendments).