Title: An act relating to initial limited licenses for dental hygienists.

Brief Description: Adding requirements to renew initial limited licenses for dental hygienists.

Sponsors: Senators Keiser and Deccio.

Brief History:

Health Care: 2/16/06, 2/17/06 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 14 members: Representatives Cody, Chair; Campbell, Vice Chair; Morrell, Vice Chair; Hinkle, Ranking Minority Member; Curtis, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Alexander, Appleton, Bailey, Clibborn, Condotta, Green, Moeller, Schual-Berke and Skinner.

Staff: Chris Blake (786-7392).

Background:

Dental hygienists in Washington must maintain a license to practice and must be supervised by a dentist except in limited settings. In order to obtain a license in Washington, the applicant must: (1) have successfully completed an approved examination; (2) have completed an approved educational program which includes course work that covers the scope of practice in Washington; and (3) not have engaged in unprofessional conduct and be able to practice safely.

Applicants for a license to practice dental hygiene who have a valid license in another state and are currently engaged in practice may obtain a license without having to complete the examination. This licensing option is available upon determination that the other state's licensing standards are substantively equivalent to Washington.

Applicants who are currently licensed and engaged in the practice of dental hygiene in another state, but do not meet Washington's local anesthetic, nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia, or restorative placement requirements, may obtain an initial limited license. The initial limited license is valid for 18 months and may be renewed upon successfully passing the examination for administering local anesthetic and nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia. An individual who holds a limited license and meets specified standards may receive a temporary endorsement to administer local anesthesia or perform restorative procedures.

Summary of Bill:

An initial limited license to practice dental hygiene may be renewed if the applicant demonstrates:

• successful passage of a substantively equivalent dental hygiene patient evaluation/prophylaxis examination;
• successful passage of a substantively equivalent local anesthesia examination; and
• didactic and clinical competency in the administration of nitrous oxide analgesia.

A person who has an endorsement to his or her initial limited license to administer local anesthesia is considered to have met the local anesthesia examination requirement for renewing an initial limited license.

The requirement that a temporary license holder meet restorative and local anesthetic education requirements prior to taking the dental hygiene licensing examination is removed.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This is a technical fix bill that will allow dental hygienists to obtain a limited license by removing barriers.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Melissa Johnson, Washington State Dental Hygienists' Association; and Bonnie King, Department of Health.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.