Resolve, Directing the Commissioner of Professional and Financial Regulation To Conduct a Sunrise Review of Oral Health Care Issues

Sec. 1. Oral health care and sunrise review. Resolved: That the Commissioner of Professional and Financial Regulation shall conduct an independent assessment pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32, chapter 1-A, subchapter 2 of the following oral health care issues: the proposal for expansion of the scope of practice of dental hygienists to create a mid-level dental hygienist license category, as well as the proposal to permit dental hygienists to practice independently without the supervision of a licensed dentist in order to increase access to preventive dental care across the State; the proposal to expand licensing requirements to permit graduates of a foreign university considered satisfactory to the Board of Dental Examiners to practice dentistry in this State, including a review of other states' models for evaluation of foreign-trained dentists; and the proposal that the regulatory structure for denturists and dental hygienists include placing denturists and dental hygienists under the jurisdiction of a new board within the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation; and be it further

Sec. 2. Reporting date established. Resolved: That no later than February 15, 2008 the Commissioner of Professional and Financial Regulation shall submit a report following the independent assessment under section 1 to the Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development. That committee is authorized to introduce legislation on the subject matter of the report to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature.