An Act To Improve Access to Oral Health Care
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1230
Committee Amendment CA_C-HA_B_H658 (House)

HOUSE AMENDMENT" (5" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "c" to H.P. 870, 
L.D. 1230, Bill, "An Act To Improve Access to Oral Health Care" 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-AA by striking out all of subsection 2 
(page 3, lines 13 to 23 in amendment) and inserting the following: 
'2. 
Educational program standards and requirements. 
Has successfully 
completed a dental hygiene therapy education program that: 
A. 
Is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental 
Accreditation or a successor organization; 
B. Is a minimum of 4 semesters; 
C. Is consistent with the model curriculum for educating dental hygiene therapists 
adopted by the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, or a successor 
organization, is consistent with existing dental hygiene therapy programs in other 
states and is approved by the board; and 
D. Meets the requirements for dental hygiene therapy education programs adopted 
by the board; 
3. Bachelor of Science degree. Has been awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in 
dental hygiene. In order to meet the requirements of this subsection, an applicant must 
hold at least an associate degree in dental hygiene before entering a dental hygiene 
therapy education program that meets the requirements of subsection 2, which may be 
completed concurrently or consecutively with a Bachelor of Science degree in dental 
hygiene;' 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-AA in subsection 3 in the last line (page 
3, line 27 in amendment) by inserting after the following: "dentistry" the following: 
'~ 
An applicant who fails the clinical examination twice may not take the clinical 
examination again until further education and training, as specified by the board, are 
obtained' 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-AA in subsection 4 in the first line 
(page 3, line 28 in amendment) by striking out the following: "1,000" and inserting the 
following: '2,000' 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
HOUSE AMENDMENT:£;" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "C" to H.P. 870, L.D. 1230 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-AA in subsection 4 in the last line (page 
3, line 31 in amendment) by inserting after the following: "1094-BB." the following: 
'For purposes of meeting the requirements of this subsection, an applicant's hours of 
supervised clinical experience while enrolled in the 4-semester dental training therapy 
program may be included.' 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-AA by renumbering the subsections to 
read consecutively. 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-BB in the first paragraph in the 3rd line 
(page 3, line 35 in amendment) by striking out the following: ".l" and inserting the 
following: '1:' 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-FF in the first paragraph in the first line 
(page 4, line 35 in amendment) by striking out the following: "1,000" and inserting the 
following: '2,000' 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-FF in the first paragraph in the 3rd line 
(page 4, line 37 in amendment) by striking out the following: "general" and inserting the 
following: 'direct' 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-FF in the first paragraph in the 3rd line 
(page 4, line 37 in amendment) by inserting after the following: "dentist" the following: 
'who is licensed in this State' 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1 094-FF in the first paragraph by striking out 
the last 3 lines (page 5, lines 4 to 6 in amendment) and inserting the following: 'Health 
and Human Services; or a private dental practice in which at least 50% of the patients 
who are provided services by that dental hygiene therapist are covered by the MaineCare 
program under Title 22 or are underserved adults.' 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-00 in the first paragraph in the first 
line (page 5, line 8 in amendment) by inserting after the following: 
"under the" the 
following: 'direct' 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-00 in the first paragraph in the 2nd line 
(page 5, line 9 in amendment) by inserting after the following: "this State" the following: 
" referred to in this subchapter as "the supervising dentist," , 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-00 by striking out all of subsection 1 
(page 5, lines 16 to 21 in amendment) 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-00 by renumbering the subsections to 
read consecutively. 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-HH in the first paragraph in the 2nd line 
(page 6, line 19 in amendment) by striking out the following: "general" and inserting the 
following: 'direct' 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-HH in the first paragraph in the 2nd line 
(page 6, line 19 in amendment) by inserting after the following: "dentist" the following: 
'licensed in this State' 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
HOUSE AMENDMENT:/J "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "C" to H.P. 870, L.D. 1230 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in §1094-KK in the first paragraph in the first 
line (page 7, line 19 in amendment) 
by striking out the following: 
"chapter" and 
inserting the following: 'subchapter' 
Amend the amendment in section 7 in § 1094-KK in the first paragraph in the 2nd line 
(page 7, line 20 in amendment) by striking out the following: "major substantive" and 
inserting the following: 'routine technical' 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of section 8 (page 7, lines 21 to 25 in 
amendment) and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 8. Board of Dental Examiners. By January 1, 2015, the Department of 
Professional and Financial Regulation, Board of Dental Examiners shall adopt rules 
setting requirements for dental hygiene therapy education programs. Prior to adopting 
rules, the board shall consult with: 
1. A member of the Maine Dental Association; 
2. A member of the Maine Dental Hygienists' Association; 
3. A dentist who practices at a dental clinic at which at least 50% of that dentist's 
patients are eligible for the MaineCare program; 
4. A dental hygienist who practices at a dental clinic at which at least 50% of that 
dental hygienist's patients are eligible for the MaineCare program; 
5. A person whose area of expertise is in public health; and 
6. A member of an organization that advocates for low-income persons. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. Notwithstanding Title 32, 
section 1094-AA, subsection 2, paragraph A, until a dental hygiene therapy education 
program has been accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental 
Accreditation or a successor organization, the Board of Dental Examiners may approve 
the dental hygiene therapy education program.' 
Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter 
or section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment makes the following changes to Committee Amendment "C": 
1. It requires an applicant for a dental hygiene therapy license to meet specific 
education requirements, including obtaining an associate degree in dental hygiene prior to 
successfully completing at least 4 semesters of dental hygiene therapy training, which 
may be done at the same time as or consecutively with obtaining a Bachelor of Science 
degree in dental hygiene, which is also required; 
2. It requires the dental hygiene therapy education program to be accredited by the 
American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation. 
Until that 
accreditation is obtained, the Board of Dental Examiners may approve the dental hygiene 
therapy education program; 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
HOUSE AMENDMENT:.6" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "C" to H.P. 870, L.D. 1230 
3. 
It increases from 1,000 to 2,000 the number of hours of supervised clinical 
practice required in order to obtain a dental hygiene therapy license, but allows the 
number of hours spent in supervised clinical practice while completing the 4-semester 
dental hygiene therapy training to be included in the calculation; 
4. It prohibits an applicant for a license as a dental hygiene therapist who fails the 
clinical examination twice from taking the examination again until after the applicant has 
received more education and training, as specified by the Board of Dental Examiners; 
5. It specifies that a dental hygiene therapist may practice only while under the direct 
supervision of a dentist and clarifies that the supervising dentist must be licensed to 
practice in Maine; 
6. It removes the ability of the supervising dentist to authorize a dental hygiene 
therapist to provide services to a patient who has not first seen the dentist; and 
7. It changes the category of rules adopted by the Board of Dental Examiners from 
major substantive rules to routine technical rules and requires the board to consult with 
dentists, dental hygienists and others before adopting the rules. 
SPONSORED BY: ----., ..... 
t~2.....,~~-~~iAo'2 
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(Representative SANDERSON) 
TOWN: Chelsea 
. - -.UTE RE(}llRED 
(See attached) 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 03/05/14 
~ac.. 
LD 1230 
LR 1022(13) 
An Act To Improve Access to Oral Health Care 
Fiscal Note for House Amendment.!J' to Committee Amendment "c" 
Sponsor: Rep. San(Jerson of Chelsea 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Potential current biennium cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Additional costs to contract with an education consultant, if necessary, to approve the dental hygiene therapy education program 
until a model curriculum is adopted will be borne by the Board of Dental Examiners within its available budgeted resources. The 
current unobligated balance in the Board of Dental Examiner's Other Special Revenue Funds account is $883,393. 
LR1022(13) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1