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S1292.................................................by HEALTH AND WELFARE
DENTAL ASSISTANTS - Amends existing law to provide that a dental assistant
may work under the direct, indirect or general supervision of a dentist;
and to redefine "general supervision" and "indirect supervision" to include
the supervision of dental assistants.
02/09 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/10 Rpt prt - to Health/Wel
03/05 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/08 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/09 3rd rdg - PASSED - 33-2-0
AYES -- Andreason, Bailey, Brandt, Bunderson, Burkett, Burtenshaw,
Calabretta, Cameron, Compton, Darrington, Davis, Gannon, Geddes,
Goedde, Hill, Ingram, Keough, Little, Lodge, Malepeai, Marley,
McKenzie, McWilliams, Noble, Noh, Pearce, Richardson, Schroeder,
Sorensen, Stegner, Stennett, Sweet, Williams
NAYS -- Kennedy, Werk
Absent and excused -- None
Floor Sponsor - Brandt
Title apvd - to House
03/10 House intro - 1st rdg - to Health/Wel
03/15 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/16 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/17 3rd rdg - PASSED - 51-16-3
AYES -- Barraclough, Barrett, Bauer, Bayer, Bedke, Black, Block,
Bolz, Bradford, Campbell, Cannon, Clark, Collins, Crow, Deal, Denney,
Eberle, Edmunson, Ellsworth, Field(18), Field(23), Garrett, Harwood,
Jones, Kellogg, Kulczyk, Langford, McGeachin, McKague, Meyer, Miller,
Moyle, Nielsen, Pasley-Stuart, Raybould, Ridinger, Ring, Robison,
Rydalch, Sali, Schaefer, Shepherd, Shirley, Skippen, Smith(24),
Smylie, Snodgrass, Trail, Wills, Wood, Mr. Speaker
NAYS -- Andersen, Bell, Boe, Cuddy, Douglas, Eskridge, Henbest,
Jaquet, Langhorst, Martinez, Mitchell, Naccarato, Ringo, Sayler,
Smith(30), Stevenson
Absent and excused -- Gagner, Lake, Roberts
Floor Sponsor - Sali
Title apvd - to Senate
03/18 To enrol
03/19 Rpt enrol - Pres signed - Sp signed
03/22 To Governor
03/23 Governor signed
Session Law Chapter 217
Effective: 07/01/04
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]]
Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session - 2004
IN THE SENATE
SENATE BILL NO. 1292
BY HEALTH AND WELFARE COMMITTEE
1 AN ACT
2 RELATING TO THE BOARD OF DENTISTRY; AMENDING SECTION 54-903, IDAHO CODE, TO
3 PROVIDE THAT A DENTAL ASSISTANT MAY WORK UNDER THE DIRECT, INDIRECT OR
4 GENERAL SUPERVISION OF A DENTIST AND TO REDEFINE "GENERAL SUPERVISION" AND
5 "INDIRECT SUPERVISION" TO INCLUDE THE SUPERVISION OF DENTAL ASSISTANTS.
6 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
7 SECTION 1. That Section 54-903, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
8 amended to read as follows:
9 54-903. GENERAL DEFINITIONS. As used in this chapter:
10 (1) "Association" means the Idaho state dental association and the Idaho
11 dental hygienists' association.
12 (2) "Board" means the state board of dentistry.
13 (3) "Dental assistant" is a person who need not be licensed under this
14 chapter, but who is regularly employed by a dentist at his office, who works
15 under the dentist's direct supervision, and is adequately trained and quali-
16 fied according to standards established by the board to perform the dental
17 services permitted to be performed by assistants by this chapter and applica-
18 ble rules of the board.
19 (4) "Dental hygienist" is a person both qualified and annually licensed
20 by the laws of Idaho to practice dental hygiene.
21 (5) "Dental specialist" is a dentist who limits his practice to a spe-
22 cialty recognized by the American dental association, who has graduated from a
23 board approved post-graduate program in his specialty and is a person both
24 qualified and annually licensed by the laws of Idaho to practice a dental spe-
25 cialty.
26 (6) "Dentist" is a person both qualified and annually licensed by the
27 laws of Idaho to practice dentistry.
28 (7) "Direct supervision" is supervision of a dental assistant or dental
29 hygienist requiring that a dentist diagnose the condition to be treated, a
30 dentist authorize the procedure to be performed, a dentist remain in the den-
31 tal office while the procedure is performed, and that before dismissal of the
32 patient, a dentist approves the work performed by the dental assistant or den-
33 tal hygienist.
34 (8) "General supervision" is supervision of a dental assistant or dental
35 hygienist requiring that a dentist authorize the procedure which is carried
36 out, but not requiring that a dentist be in the office when the authorized
37 procedure is performed.
38 (9) "Indirect supervision" is supervision of a dental assistant or dental
39 hygienist requiring that a dentist authorize a procedure and that a dentist be
40 in the dental office while the procedure is performed by the assistant or
41 hygienist.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 13545C1
The purpose of this proposed legislation is to amend the Idaho
Dental Practice Act (Chapter 9, Title 54, Idaho Code) by the
deletion of the restriction in the existing definition of "dental
assistant" found at Idaho Code 54-903(3) which only authorized
dental assistants to practice under the direct supervision of a
dentist and to include the term "dental assistant" in the
definitions of the terms "general supervision" and "indirect
supervision" presently found at Idaho Code 54-903(8) & (9). At
present, the Dental Practice Act only authorizes a dental assistant
to practice under the "direct supervision" of a dentist. Direct
supervision requires that the dentist be personally present in the
dental practice and that the dentist reviews the treatment provided
by the dental assistant before the patient leaves the practice.
Indirect supervision and general supervision require less stringent
levels of supervision of an auxiliary's work by the dentist. The
Dental Practice Act currently authorizes a dental hygienist to
perform various permissible functions under the general, indirect
and direct supervision of a dentist. The Board of Dentistry has
determined that at some point in the near future it will be
warranted and necessary to allow a dental assistant to perform some
permissible functions under either general or indirect levels of
supervision. The proposed revision will provide the necessary
statutory authority for the Board of Dentistry to promulgate
administrative rules authorizing dental assistants to perform
permissible functions under varying levels of supervision.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact on either dental assistants or the Board
of Dentistry by reason of this proposed statutory amendment.
CONTACT
Name: Mike Sheeley
Agency: Board of Dentistry
Phone: 334-2369
Statement of Purpose/Fiscal Impact S 1292