BG H.B. 2255 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS PUBLIC HEALTH H.B. 2255 By: Berlanga 4-25-97 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND An exception to the principle that all dental and dental hygiene education programs should be accredited was included for foreign program graduates in SB 18 (the Dental Practice Act Sunset legislation) last session. This was necessary because foreign programs do not have the opportunity to be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Some people now argue that the wording in SB 18 inadvertently requires licensure of graduates of domestic unaccredited programs. PURPOSE HB 2255 amends the Dental Practice Act by clarifying the reference to foreign non-accredited programs and enabling more careful review of the equivalency of such programs to accredited programs. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Sec. 2(a), Article 4545a, Revised Statutes, by inserting a reference to foreign schools, replacing language requiring that the school must be recognized by the foreign government as appropriate preparation for the practice of dentistry or dental hygiene in that country, and omitting within that paragraph the phrase "accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the America Dental Association." Adds language to the conditional section, that if it is "determined" that "the program the applicant attended is the "educational equivalent" of a dental or dental hygienist program accredited be the Commission as specified, a license shall be granted. SECTION 2. Amends Article 4545a, Revised Statutes, by adding Section 3 as follows: Sec. 3. Requires the State Board of Dental Examiners (board) to appoint an advisory committee consisting of dental hygiene program directors, as specified, to assist the board in determining the equivalency of foreign dental hygiene programs as specified. Requires the advisory committee to review transcripts and other materials considered necessary by the board. Establishes that a member of the advisory committee has no civil liability for the performance of good faith actions of their duties. Establishes that members are not entitled to be compensated for their service. Establishes that the advisory committee is not subject to Article 6252-33, Revised Statutes. SECTION 3. Effective date of this Act is September 1, 1997. SECTION 4. Emergency Clause. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS After dialogue with the dentists, agreement was reached to amend SECTION 2 by removing the requirement that the State Board of Dental Examiners appoint another advisory committee. Instead the existing Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee shall assist the board in determining educational equivalency as specified. Subsections (d) and (e) are no longer necessary as no new