BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 974
80R7778 MSE-D By: Van de Putte
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
When a dental patient receives local anesthesia the dentist generally leaves the patient to meet with another dental patient while the anesthesia takes effect before the dental hygienist performs the procedure that the dental patient is to receive. If the dental patient does not feel sufficient numbness for the procedure to take place the dental hygienist has to interrupt the dentist who is already with another dental patient, and the dentist would have to de-glove and leave that patient to return to the dental patient who is receiving the anesthesia. Currently dental hygienist are not authorized to administer local anesthesia, even if the dentist agrees to permit the dental hygienist to provide such a service.
As proposed, S.B. 974 authorizes a dentist to delegate to a trained dental hygienist the administration of local anesthesia under direct supervision. This bill would require that dental hygienists pass a State Board of Dental Examines approved course, accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association, to ensure clinical competency for certification to administer local anesthesia. This bill would also require that the course be administered in a classroom setting at an educational institution. By allowing dentists to delegate this duty, the efficiency in dental offices will increase and dental hygienists will be allowed to effectively manage treatment-related pain for patients.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the State Board of Dental Examiners in SECTION 3 of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 258.001, Occupations Code, as follows:
Sec. 258.001. New heading: DELEGATIONS. (a) Creates this subsection from existing text. Makes nonsubstantive changes.
(b) Creates this subsection from existing text to authorize a dentist to delegate certain responsibilities. Authorizes a dentist to delegate to a physician anesthesiologist licensed by the Texas Medical Board, rather than the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners or to a dental hygienist only if the procedure is the administration of a local anesthetic agent under Section 262.002(a)(6).
SECTION 2. Amends Section 262.002, Occupations Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c), as follows:
(a) Provides that a person practices dental hygiene if the person administers intraoral, block, or infiltration anesthesia under direct supervision as required by this subtitle after completion of a board-approved course. Makes a conforming change.
(c) Prohibits a dental hygienist from establishing an independent practice to provide services authorized by this subtitle.
SECTION 3. (a) Requires that the State Board of Dental Examiners, not later than January 1, 2008, prescribe, by rule, the requirements for a course to train dental hygienists to administer local anesthetic agents and develop a procedure for the approval of courses.
(b) Requires a rule adopted under Subsection (a) of this section to require that a course is accredited by the commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association and offered in a classroom setting at an educational institution.
SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2007.