SRC-TNM S.B. 1347 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterS.B. 1347 By: Madla Health & Human Services 4-18-97 Committee Report (Amended) DIGEST Currently, a significant number of children in need of dental treatment are not being served. Although 75 percent of pediatric dentists are Medicaid providers and 15 percent of general dentists are Medicaid providers as well as an increasing number of dental hygienists, there remains an insufficient number of Medicaid providers to meet this need. The Texas Department of Health's primary goal is to provide as many Medicaid children with tooth sealants as possible. S.B. 1347 would permit dental assistants with two years' experience and with proper training and certification by the Texas Board of Dental Examiners to perform the function of polishing and the application of sealants. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1347 outlines provisions regarding certain permitted duties of dental assistants. 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 15, Chapter 475, Acts of the 52nd Legislature, 1951, Article 4551e, V.T.C.S., to prohibit the provisions of this Act from applying to employees of a dentist who make dental x-rays or who polish the coronal surfaces of exposed human teeth in the dental office and under the supervision of such dentist or dentists legally engaged in the practice of dentistry in this state. SECTION 2. Amends Article 4551e-1, V.T.C.S., by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (h), to delete text prohibiting a dentist from delegating root planning or the smoothing and polishing of roughened root surfaces or exposed human teeth to a person not licensed as a dentist or dental hygienist. Authorizes a person licensed to practice dentistry to delegate to a dental assistant with two years' experience who has completed training and certification prescribed by the Texas Board of Dental Examiners the act of application of pit and fissure sealants under the supervision, direction, and responsibility of the delegating dentist. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES Amendment 1. Page 1, line 3, adds a new SECTION 1 and renumbers existing