An Act To Conform Maine Law to the Requirements of the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1514
Committee Amendment CA_B-SA_A_S506 (Senate)
Amends: 32 MRSA §18345, 32 MRSA §18371

SENATE AMENDMENT " A " to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "B" to H.P. 
1037, L.D. 1514, Bill, "An Act To Conform Maine Law to the Requirements of the 
American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation" 
Amend the amendment by striking out everything after the first occurrence of 
"Amend the bill" and inserting the following: 
'by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting 
the following: 
'Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §18345, sub-§2, ,re, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is 
amended to read: 
C. For dental hygieae therapist authority: 
(1) Verification of having successfully completed a bachelor's degree or higher 
in dental hygieae therapy from an educational program that: 
(a) Is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental 
Accreditation or a successor organization approved by the board; or 
(b) Is a miaiml:lm of 4 semestefS; 
(e) Is eoasisteat with the moael el:lrriel:lll:llR for eal:leatiag aeatal hygieae 
thefafJists aaof!tea by the Amerieaa Assoeiatioa of Pl:lblie Health Deatistry or 
a Sl:l660SSOr orr.!aaii3ahoa: 
(a) Is eoasisteat with oostiag aeatal hygieae theraf!y J!rograms ia other 
states apf!r011ea by the boars; aaa 
( e) Meets the requirements for dental hygieae therapy education programs 
adopted by board rule; 
(2) 
Verifieatioa of a baehelor's aegree or higher ia aeatal hygieae, aeatal 
hygieae therapy or aeatal theraJ!y from a sehool aeereaitea by the Amerieaa 
Deatal Assoeiatioa Commissioa oa Deatal Aeereaitatioa or a sl:leeessor 
orr.!8:fli,.,atiofl: 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
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SENATE AMENDMENT "A "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "B" to H.P. 1037, L.D. 1514 
(3) Verification of passing a clinical examination and all other examinations 
required by board rule. The clinical examination must be a comprehensive, 
competency-based clinical examination approved by the board and administered 
independently of an institution providing dental h;'g-ieBe therapy education; 
( 4) Verification of having engaged in 2,000 hours of supervised clinical practice 
under the supervision of a dentist and in conformity with rules adopted by the 
board, during which supervised clinical practice the applicant is authorized to 
practice pursuant to paragraph F. 
For purposes of meeting the clinical requirements of this subparagraph, an 
applicant's hours of supervised clinical experience while enrolled in the dental 
hygieBe therapy program under subparagraph (1) may be included as well as 
hours completed under the supervision of a dentist licensed in another state or a 
Canadian province, pFevi<:le<:l that as long as the applicant was operating lawfully 
under the laws and rules of that state or province; and 
(5) A copy of the written practice agreement and standing orders required by 
section 18377, subsection 3; 
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §18371, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is 
amended to read: 
5. Supervision of dental therapists. A dentist, referred to in this section as the 
"supervising dentist," who employs or supervises a dental h;'g-ieae therapist shall comply 
with this subsection. 
A. A supervising dentist shall arrange for another dentist or specialist to provide any 
services needed by a patient of a dental Jij<gieBe therapist supervised by that dentist 
that are beyond the scope of practice of the dental hygieae therapist and that the 
supervising dentist is unable to provide. 
B. The supervising dentist is responsible, for all authorized services and procedures 
performed by the dental hygieae therapist pursuant to a written practice agreement 
executed by the dentist pursuant to section 183 77. 
C. Revisions to a written practice agreement must be documented in a new written 
practice agreement signed by the supervising dentist and the dental eygieBe therapist. 
D. A supervising dentist who signs a written practice agreement shall file a copy of 
the agreement with the board, keep a copy for the dentist's own records and make a 
copy available to patients of the dental hygi0B0 therapist upon request. 
E. A dentist may not supervise more than 5 dental therapists at one time. 
Sec. 3. Maine Revised Statutes amended; revision clause. Wherever in the 
Maine Revised Statutes the words "dental hygiene therapist" appear or reference is made 
to those words, they are amended to read or mean, as appropriate, "dental therapist," and 
the Revisor of Statutes shall implement thils revision when updating, publishing or 
republishing the statutes. 
Sec. 4. Maine Revised Statutes amended; revision clause. Wherever in the 
Maine Revised Statutes the words "dental hygiene therapy" appear or reference is made 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
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SENATE AMENDMENT ·A "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "B" to H.P. 1037, L.D. 1514 
to those words, they are amended to read or mean, as appropriate, "dental therapy," and 
the Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when updating, publishing or 
republishing the statutes.' ' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment corrects conflicts created by the enactment of Public Law 2015, 
chapter 429, which repealed and replaced the laws governing dental professionals. This 
amendment amends the minority report of the committee and makes the following 
changes to the provisions of law enacted in chapter 429: 
1. It changes the term "dental hygiene therapist" to "dental therapist"; 
2. It changes the term "dental hygiene therapy" to "dental therapy"; 
3. It specifies that an applicant who has successfully completed a dental therapy 
education program that is accredited by either the Board of Dental Practice or the 
American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation or a successor 
organization approved by the board meets the requirements for having completed a dental 
therapy education program; 
4. It removes the requirements that a dental therapy education program be consistent 
with a specified model curriculum, be consistent with programs in other states and be 
approved by the board; 
5. It limits to 5 the number of dental therapists that a single dentist may supervise at 
one time; and 
6. 
It retains the requirement that a 
supervision of a dentist licensed.in the State. 
SPONSORED BY: 
(Senator VOLK) 
COUNTY: Cumberland 
dental therapist practice 
KL 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
under the direct