HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2689

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Brief Description:  Defining the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representatives Dyer, Cody, Campbell and Conway).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Health Care:  2/1/96 [DPS].

  Floor Activity:

     Passed House:  2/10/96, 96-0.

Senate Amended.

House Concurred.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives Dyer, Chairman; Backlund, Vice Chairman; Hymes, Vice Chairman; Cody, Ranking Minority Member; Murray, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Campbell; Conway; Crouse; Morris; Sherstad; Skinner and H. Sommers.

Staff:  John Welsh (786-7133).

Background:  The Dental Practice Act defines the scope of practice of dentists licensed for practice in the state.  The scope generally involves the diagnosis and, treatment of diseases, injuries, deformities, and physical conditions of the teeth, gums or jaw. Dentists are not limited by the medical scope of practice.

Physicians share with dentists some dental procedures.  Physicians may perform oral surgery and extract teeth, as well as diagnose and make x-ray interpretations of the shadows of the teeth, alveolar process, maxilla, mandible, or adjacent soft tissue.  But there is a question whether dental oral surgeons may treat the hard and soft tissues adjacent to the jaw.

Summary of Bill:   The dental scope of practice is clarified to include any dental or oral and maxillofacial surgery. "Oral and maxillofacial surgery" means the specialty of dentistry that includes the diagnosis and surgical and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries, and defects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region.  There is no reference to treatment of aesthetic aspects of hard and soft tissues.

  Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The purpose of the bill is to clarify the authority of dental oral surgeons to treat the hard and soft tissues adjacent to the jaw, including the area around the cheekbone.  The definition of oral and maxillofacial surgery, based on the definition provided by the American Dental Association, clarifies dental practice parameters by including current practice procedures long performed by oral surgeons.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Dr. O. Ross Beirne, University of Washington School of Dentistry; Dr. Phil Haeck, Washington Society of Plastic Surgeons; and Dr. Rick Crinz, Washington State Dental Association.