Enrolled Bill Summary

            House Bill 3507 amends the Human Resources Code to specify that a dental service or dental product may not be provided under the medical assistance program unless there is a dental necessity, and it requires the Health and Human Services Commission, or any state agency administering a portion of the Medicaid program, to ensure that a stainless steel crown is not used as a preventive measure. The bill also requires that, in setting reimbursement rates under medical assistance for dental services, the department reduce the hospitalization fee, eliminate the nutrition fee, provide reimbursement of a behavior management fee only in certain cases, and redistribute the amounts made available to certain commonly billed dental services.

            The bill includes provisions relating to the regulation of teledentistry, including authorizing a licensed dentist to delegate a service, task, or procedure to a dental hygienist under the supervision and responsibility of the dentist in certain circumstances. It provides for a pilot program using teledentistry to provide dental services to students in one public school district in the state, with the results of the program used to determine the efficacy of teledentistry in increasing dental services and improved oral health.

            The bill amends the Occupations Code to establish provisions relating to the licensing of dental hygienists who have completed an alternative dental hygiene training program and requirements that the alternative program must meet.

            The bill authorizes a licensed dentist to delegate certain acts to dental assistants and dental hygienists and establishes a temporary license for certain employees of nonprofit corporations that accept Medicaid.

            The bill amends the Education Code to remove the limitations that repayment assistance for dental education is available only for education from institutions "in this state" and only for each of not more than five years.