An Act To Amend Dental Hygienist Licensing Requirements
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1385
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: THOMAS, DA VIS, ANNIS, CLARK, FLETCHER, HOGAN, PINEAU, PINKHAM, RICHARDSON
Amends: 32 MRSA §1879, 32 MRSA §1099

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
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" 
122nd MAINE LEGISLATIJRE 
Legislative Document 
No. 1385 
H.P.962 
House of Representatives, March 22, 2005 
An Act To Amend Dental Hygienist Licensing Requirements 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative THOMAS of Ripley. 
Cosponsored by Senator DA VIS of Piscataquis and 
'17/~ '1J7· 7i/tU~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: ANNIS of Dover-Foxcroft, CLARK of Millinocket, FLETCHER of Winslow, 
HOGAN of Old Orchard Beach, PINEAU of Jay, PINKHAM of Lexington Township, 
RICHARDSON of Carmel, RICHARDSON of Warren. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §1879, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 669, 
§3, is amended to read:: 
3. 
Duties. 
The 
subcommittee 
shall 
perform 
an initial 
review of all applications for licensure as a dental hygienist 
pursuant to section 1097, all submissions relating to continuing 
education of dental hygienists 
pursuant 
to' 
seet.:i:ea 
sections 
1098-B and 1099 and all submissions relating to public health 
supervision status of dental hygienists 
as defined by board 
rule. 
Upon 
completion of its 
review of 
an 
application or 
submission, the secretary of the subcommittee shall report to the 
board 
the 
subcommittee's 
recommended 
disposition 
of 
the 
application or submission, including issuance, renewal, denial or 
nonrenewal of a dental hygienist license. 
Notwithstanding the 
provisions 
of 
section 
1098, 
the 
board 
shall 
adopt 
the 
subcommittee's 
recommended 
disposition 
of 
an 
application 
or 
submission unless no fewer than 2/3 of the board members who are 
present and voting vote to reject that recommended disposition. 
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §1099, as amended by PL 2003, c. 669, §1l, is 
further amended to read: 
Sl099. Endorsement 
The board may at its discretion, without examination, issue 
a 
license 
to 
an 
applicant 
to 
practice 
dental 
hygiene 
who 
furnishes 
proof 
satisfactory 
to 
the 
board 
that 
the 
dental 
hygienist has been duly licensed for at least 3 years to practice 
in another state or a Canadian province after full compliance 
with 
the 
requirements 
of its dental 
laws, 
except that 
the 
professional education may not be less than is required in this 
State. 
The 
board 
may 
require 
letters 
of 
reference 
as 
to 
ability. 
Applicants for licensure by endorsement who meet the 
requirements of this section must be interviewed in person by the 
gear::El-~-~F-s--e.f--t-he--gear::El Subcommittee on Dental Hygienist 
Submissions. as established in section 1079 prior to being issued 
a license. 
Every license so given must state upon its face that 
it was granted on the basis of endorsement. 
The fee for that 
license must be determined by the board, but may not be more than 
$175. 
SUMMARY 
This 
bill 
allows 
dental 
hygienists 
to 
be 
endorsed 
to 
practice in this State if they have practiced in another state or 
province of Canada for at least 3 years. 
This matches the 
endorsement 
for 
dentists. 
It requires 
the hygienist 
to 
be 
Page l-LR1891(l) 
.. 
interviewed by the Board of Dental Examiners, 
Subcommittee on 
Dental Hygienist Submissions.