Resolve, To Ensure Patient Safety in the Use of Certain Imaging Equipment
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1361
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: TREAT, BERRY, BOLAND, GRAHAM, HINCK, LOVEJOY, TUTTLE, GOODALL

Legislative Document 
No. 1361 
H.P. 1000 
House of Representatives, March 30, 2011 
Resolve, To Ensure Patient Safety in the Use of Certain Imaging 
Equipment 
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative TREAT of Hallowell. 
Cosponsored by Representatives: BERRY of Bowdoinham, BOLAND of Sanford, GRAHAM 
of North Yarmouth, HINCK of Portland, LOVEJOY of Portland, TUTTLE of Sanford, 
Senator: GOODALL of Sagadahoc. 
Sec. 1.  Review of use of cone beam computed tomography scanners.  
Resolved:  That the Advisory Committee on Radiation, as created in the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 22, section 675-A, and the Board of Dental Examiners, as established in 
Title 5, section 12004-A, subsection 10, referred to in this resolve as "the committee and 
the board," shall jointly review the licensing, required operator training and continuing 
education requirements and state oversight of cone beam computed tomography scanners, 
as used in dental offices.  This review must include an assessment of whether current 
rules and practices relating to these scanners are sufficient to protect the public, including 
both child and adult patients.  This review must consider the cumulative risk posed to a 
person from all sources of radiation to which that person is exposed over the course of 
that person’s lifetime; and be it further 
Sec. 2.  Demographic information.  Resolved:  That the Department of Health 
and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of 
Environmental Health, Radiation Control Program shall collect from all dentists who 
register a cone beam computed tomography scanner with the program demographic 
information to be determined by the program for each patient under the age of 16 who 
receives a cone beam computed tomography scan from October 1, 2011 to January 1, 
2012.  This demographic information must include the diagnosis attained from the cone 
beam computed tomography scan. The program shall report this demographic 
information to the committee and the board.  The committee and the board shall consider 
this demographic information as part of their review; and be it further 
Sec. 3.  Participation invited.  Resolved:  That in conducting their review, the 
committee and the board shall invite the participation of providers of dental services, 
dental patients, consumer representatives and experts in environmental health; and be it 
further 
Sec. 4.  Recommendations.  Resolved:  That the committee and the board shall 
develop recommendations regarding proposed rules and other guidance to improve the 
licensing and operation of cone beam computed tomography scanners and appropriate 
training and continuing education requirements for operators of these scanners; and be it 
further 
Sec. 5.  Report.  Resolved:  That the committee and the board shall report their 
findings, including any recommended legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on 
Health and Human Services and the Joint Standing Committee on Labor, Commerce, 
Research and Economic Development no later than February 1, 2012.  The Joint Standing 
Committee on Health and Human Services or the Joint Standing Committee on Labor, 
Commerce, Research and Economic Development may submit a bill to the Second 
Regular Session of the 125th Legislature on the subject matter of the report of the 
committee and the board. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve requires the Advisory Committee on Radiation and the Board of Dental 
Examiners to review the licensing, required operator training and continuing education 
requirements and state oversight of cone beam computed tomography scanners, as used in 
dental offices.  This review must include an assessment of whether current rules and 
practices relating to these scanners are sufficient to protect the public, including both 
child and adult patients.  This resolve requires the Department of Health and Human 
Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Environmental 
Health, Radiation Control Program to collect demographic information from dentists 
about minor patients who receive a scan from October 1, 2011 to January 1, 2012 and 
report this information to the committee and the board.  The committee and the board 
shall report their findings, including any recommended legislation, to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Health and Human Services and the Joint Standing Committee on Labor, 
Commerce, Research and Economic Development no later than February 1, 2012.  The 
Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services or the Joint Standing 
Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development may submit a 
bill to the Second Regular Session of the 125th Legislature on the subject matter of the 
report of the committee and the board.