An Act to Require Insurance Coverage for Covered Dental Services
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1361
Sponsors: MASTRACCIO
Amends: 24 MRSA §2317-B, 24-A MRSA §2765-B, 24-A MRSA §2847-X

Legislative Document
No. 1361
H.P. 884
House of Representatives, April 1, 2025
An Act to Require Insurance Coverage for Covered Dental Services 
Provided by Licensed Dental Hygienists and to Authorize Licensed 
Dental Hygienists to Bill Commercial Dental Insurance
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 28, 2025.  Referred to the Committee on 
Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered 
printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MASTRACCIO of Sanford.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  24 MRSA §2317-B, sub-§21-A is enacted to read:
21-A.  Title 24-A, sections 2765-B and 2847-X.  Coverage for services provided by 
dental hygienists, Title 24-A, sections 2765-B and 2847-X;
Sec. 2.  24-A MRSA §2765-B is enacted to read:
§2765-B.  Coverage for services provided by dental hygienist; direct billing
1.  Services provided by dental hygienist.  An insurer that issues individual dental 
insurance or health insurance that includes coverage for dental services shall provide 
coverage for dental services performed by a dental hygienist licensed under Title 32, 
chapter 143 when those services are covered services under the contract and when they are 
within the lawful scope of practice of the dental hygienist.
2.  Limits; coinsurance; deductibles.  A contract that provides coverage for the 
services required by this section may contain provisions for maximum benefits and 
coinsurance and reasonable limitations, deductibles and exclusions to the extent that these 
provisions are not inconsistent with the requirements of this section.
3. Direct billing. If a contract provides coverage for services required under subsection 
1, an insurer shall reimburse a dental hygienist for the services in accordance with the 
following requirements:
A. The insurer must facilitate the ability of the dental hygienist to directly bill the 
insurer for services that are within the lawful scope of practice of a dental hygienist. 
The dental hygienist must adhere to any billing, documentation and reporting 
requirements established by the insurer to ensure that all claims for reimbursement are 
properly submitted and meet the insurer's standards for payment; and 
B. The insurer must reimburse the dental hygienist for services in the same manner as 
the insurer reimburses a dentist for the same services and may not reimburse the dental 
hygienist at a lower reimbursement rate for providing the same services as a dentist if 
those services are within the lawful scope of practice of a dental hygienist.
Sec. 3.  24-A MRSA §2847-X is enacted to read:
§2847-X.  Coverage for services provided by dental hygienist; direct billing
1.  Services provided by dental hygienist.  An insurer that issues group dental 
insurance or health insurance that includes coverage for dental services shall provide 
coverage for dental services performed by a dental hygienist licensed under Title 32, 
chapter 143 when those services are covered services under the contract and when they are 
within the lawful scope of practice of the dental hygienist.
2.  Limits; coinsurance; deductibles.  A contract that provides coverage for the 
services required by this section may contain provisions for maximum benefits and 
coinsurance and reasonable limitations, deductibles and exclusions to the extent that these 
provisions are not inconsistent with the requirements of this section.
3. Direct billing. If a contract provides coverage for services required under subsection 
1, an insurer shall reimburse a dental hygienist for the services in accordance with the 
following requirements:  
A. The insurer must facilitate the ability of the dental hygienist to directly bill the 
insurer for services that are within the lawful scope of practice of a dental hygienist. 
The dental hygienist must adhere to any billing, documentation and reporting 
requirements established by the insurer to ensure that all claims for reimbursement are 
properly submitted and meet the insurer's standards for payment; and 
B. The insurer must reimburse the dental hygienist for services in the same manner as 
the insurer reimburses a dentist for the same services and may not reimburse the dental 
hygienist at a lower reimbursement rate for providing the same services as a dentist if 
those services are within the lawful scope of practice of a dental hygienist.
Sec. 4.  Application. This Act applies to all individual and group dental insurance 
policies, contracts and certificates and health insurance policies, contracts and certificates 
that provide coverage for dental services that are executed, delivered, issued for delivery, 
continued or renewed in this State on or after January 1, 2026. For purposes of this Act, all 
contracts are deemed to be renewed no later than the next yearly anniversary of the contract 
date.
SUMMARY
This bill requires insurance carriers that provide coverage for dental insurance to 
provide coverage for services performed by a licensed dental hygienist acting within the 
scope of the dental hygienist's license and to reimburse those dental hygienists that directly 
bill for those services.
The requirements apply beginning January 1, 2026.