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S.F. No. 1496 - Collaborative Community Practice by Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants
 
Author: Senator Michelle R. Benson
 
Prepared By:
 
Date: March 7, 2017



 

SF1496 modifies the collaborative practice for certain dental hygienists in community settings and establishes the authorization for dental assistants to enter into collaborative practices.

Section 1 ( 150A.10, subd. 1a) Paragraph (a) modifies the practice of a dental hygienist who is employed or retained by a health care facility, program, or nonprofit organization to perform dental hygiene services and under a collaborative agreement with a licensed dentist by stating that the services that the hygienist can perform are listed in the rules.  It also modifies the requirements that must be met by the dental hygienist before the hygienist can engage in this collaborative practice. 

Paragraph (b) specifies that the procedure for creating and maintaining dental records for patients who are treated by the dental hygienist are described in the rules. 

Paragraph (c) requires the hygienist to complete a referral form when a patient requires a referral for additional services and requires that a copy of the form be provided to the patient, the facility, the dentist to whom the patient is being referred, and the collaborating dentist if required under the agreement.  It also specifies that a copy of the referral must be maintained in the patient’s health care record and that the patient does not become a new patient of record of the dentist until the dentist accepts the patient for follow-up services after the referral. 

Paragraph (d) modifies the definition of “health care facility, program, or nonprofit organization.”

Paragraph (e) modifies the definition of collaborative agreement.

Section 2 (150A.10, subd. 2a) Paragraph (a) authorizes collaborative practice for dental assistants in community settings.  For a dental assistant who is employed by a health care facility, program, or nonprofit organization to perform specified dental assisting services without the patient being first examined by a dentist, without a dentist’s diagnosis or treatment plan, and without the dentist being present at the location where services are being performed, if the assistant has entered into a collaborative agreement with a licensed dentist that designates authorization for the services provided by the dental assistant and the dental assistant has documented completion of a course on medical emergencies within each continuing education cycle.

Paragraph (b) specifies the services that can be performed by a dental assistant operating under general supervision of a collaborating dentist.

Paragraph (c) requires a collaborating dentist to be licensed under chapter 151 and permits a dentist to enter into a collaborative agreement with up to two dental assistants, unless otherwise authorized by the board.

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