BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.S.B. 692
80R9793 JMM-D By: Uresti
Committee Report (Substituted)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, a dental assistant is allowed to apply a pit and fissure sealant if the dentist for whom the dental assistant works is a Medicaid provider or practices in an area determined to be underserved by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
C.S.S.B. 692 authorizes a dental assistant to perform coronal polishing and to apply pit and fissure sealants if the dental assistant has a Pit and Fissure Sealant Certificate issued by the Board of Dental Examiners, rather than if the dental assistant works for a dentist who is a Medicaid provider or who practices in an area determined to be underserved by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to any state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
[While the statutory reference in this bill is to the Texas Department of Health (TDH), the following amendments affect the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), as the successor agency to TDH.]
SECTION 1. Amends Section 258.002(b), Occupations Code, as follows:
(b) Authorizes a licensed dentist to delegate, under Subsection (a), the performance of a coronal polishing and application of a pit and fissure sealant to a dental assistant certified under Section 265.004 (Pit and Fissure Sealant Certificate), rather than if the dentist is a Medicaid provider or the dentist practices in an area determined to be underserved by the Texas Department of Health.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 265.003, Occupations Code, to make conforming changes.
SECTION 3. Amends the heading to Section 265.004, Occupations Code, to read as follows:
Sec. 265.004. CORONAL POLISHING AND PIT AND FISSURE SEALANT CERTIFICATE.
SECTION 4. Amends Sections 265.004(a) and (b), Occupations Code, to make conforming changes.
SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.