FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1801

                     Synopsis as Enacted

                         C 323 L 93

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

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

House Committee on Health Care

Senate Committee on Health & Human Services

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:  A statement of legislative intent declares that granting temporary licenses to dental hygienists licensed in other states is not intended to be a solution to the shortage of dental hygienists in this state.  The long-term shortage must be addressed by expanding training programs in this state.

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. A license holder must obtain special endorsement to perform injections of local anesthetics and place, carve or adjust restorations for fitting.  A temporary license holder may not 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 authority to grant temporary licenses terminates on January 1, 1998.  The Department of Health must report to the Legislature by December 1, 1996 on the need to continue this authority, and identify alternatives to meeting the dental hygiene shortage.

The secretary of the Department of Health, in consultation with the dental hygiene examining committee, is authorized to develop rules to administer this act.

As part of the statewide Health Personnel Plan, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges must identify health professional training needs not currently met by the community and technical college system, and recommend programs for meeting shortages.  A description of these college programs shall appear in their biennial budgets and institutional plans.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  98 0

Senate 45 0   (Senate amended)

House  97 0 (House concurred)

Effective:  July 25, 1993