An Act To
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1085
Committee Amendment CA_A_H119 (House)
Amends: 32 MRSA §18345

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "Ii" to H.P. 763, L.D. 1085, Bilt "An Act To 
Amend the Requirements for Licensure as an Independent Practice Dental Hygienist)> 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, Maine is experiencing a critical shortage of licensed dentists, especially in 
rural areas of the State; and 
Whereas, this legislation removes a statutory barrier that currently prevents or 
delays ce1iain dental hygienists from obtaining authority to open independent practices in 
this State; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary fol' the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §18345, sub-§2, tj[A, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is 
amended to read: 
A. For independent practice dental hygienist authority+, verification of 2,000 wol'lc 
hours of clinical practice. 
(1) If the applioant has a baoholor's degree or higher in dental hygiene from a 
dental hygiene program aoorndited by the Amerioan Dental Assooiation 
Commission on Dental Aoofoditation or its suooossor organi2;ation, verification of 
2,000 work hours of olinioal prnotioe during the 4 years preoeding the 
applioation; 01' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
. t:,i: 
~~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 763, L.D. 1085 
(2) If the applicant has an associate degree in dental hygiene from a dental 
hygiene program accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on 
Dental Accreditation or its successor organization, verification of 5,000 work 
hours of clinical practice during the 6 years preceding the application. 
For purposes of meeting the clinical practice requirements of this paragraph, the 
applicant's hours in a private dental practice or nonprofit setting under the supervision 
of a dentist may be included as well as the applicant's hours as a public health dental 
hygienist or, prior to tho effective date of this i'\ot July 29, 2016, as a dental hygienist 
with public health supervision status; 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment adds an emergency preamble and emergency clause to the bill and 
requires all applicants for independent practice dental hygienist authority to complete 
2,000 hours of clinical practice. This amendment also removes the timeframe in which 
those clinical practice hours must be obtained and removes the distinction in current law 
between applicants with a bachelor's degree in dental hygiene and applicants with an 
associate degree in dental hygiene. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/26/17 :Wac:.. 
LD 1085 
LR 986(02) 
An Act To Amend the Requirements for Licensure as an Independent Practice Dental Hygi~ist 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 1A
CH.,,// Cf) 
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the Board of Dental Practice, affiliated with the Department of Professional and Financial 
Regulation, to implement the requirements of this legislation can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0986(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1