SRC-CDH H.B. 2255 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 2255 By: Berlanga (Zaffirini) Health & Human Services 5-13-97 Engrossed DIGEST S.B. 18, 74th Legislative Session, 1995, provided an exception to the principle that all dental and dental hygiene education programs should be accredited for foreign program graduates. This provision was necessary because foreign programs do not have the opportunity to be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Critics of this exception argue that the wording in S.B. 18 inadvertently requires licensure of graduates of domestic unaccredited programs. H.B. 2255 amends the Dental Practice Act to clarify the reference to foreign non-accredited programs and to enable more careful review of the equivalency of such programs to accredited programs. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 2255 provides for the licensing of certain dentists and dental hygienists. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 2(a), Article 4545a, V.T.C.S., to require the State Board of Dental Examiners (board), upon payment by the applicant of a certain fee, to grant a license to a dentist or dental hygienist who has graduated from a foreign dental or dental hygiene school that is recognized by the government of the foreign country as providing appropriate educational preparation for the practice of dentistry or dental hygiene if the dentist or dental hygienist meets certain qualifications and the board determines that the program is the educational equivalent of a dental or dental hygienist program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (commission). Deletes existing text requiring the board to grant a license to a dentist or dental hygienist who has not graduated from a school accredited by the commission if certain conditions exist. SECTION 2. Amends Article 4545a, V.T.C.S., by adding Section 3, as follows: Sec. 3. Requires the Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee (advisory committee) to assist the board in determining the educational equivalency under Section 2(a) of this article; and to review transcripts, course descriptions, and other material considered necessary by the board. Provides that a member of the advisory committee is not liable in a civil action for any act performed in good faith in the execution of that member's duty as a committee member. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.