Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3174-XX, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2015, c. 429, §5, is further amended to read:
Sec. 2. 24-A MRSA §2765-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2015, c. 429, §12, is further amended to read:
Sec. 3. 24-A MRSA §2847-U, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2015, c. 429, §14, is further amended to read:
Sec. 4. 32 MRSA §18302, sub-§§1-A and 1-B are enacted to read:
Sec. 5. 32 MRSA §18302, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is amended to read:
Sec. 6. 32 MRSA §18345, sub-§2, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is amended to read:
(1) Verification of having successfully completed a bachelor's degree or higher in dental hygiene therapy from an educational program that:
(a) Is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation or a successor organization approved by the board; or
(b) Is a minimum of 4 semesters;
(c) Is consistent with the model curriculum for educating dental hygiene therapists adopted by the American Association of Public Health Dentistry or a successor organization;
(d) Is consistent with existing dental hygiene therapy programs in other states approved by the board; and
(e) Meets the requirements for dental hygiene therapy education programs adopted by board rule;
(2) Verification of a bachelor's degree or higher in dental hygiene, dental hygiene therapy or dental therapy from a school accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation or a successor organization;
(3) Verification of passing a clinical examination and all other examinations required by board rule. The clinical examination must be a comprehensive, competency-based clinical examination approved by the board and administered independently of an institution providing dental hygiene therapy education;
(4) Verification of having engaged in 2,000 hours of supervised clinical practice under the supervision of a dentist and in conformity with rules adopted by the board, during which supervised clinical practice the applicant is authorized to practice pursuant to paragraph F.
For purposes of meeting the clinical requirements of this subparagraph, an applicant's hours of supervised clinical experience while enrolled in the dental hygiene therapy program under subparagraph (1) may be included as well as hours completed under the supervision of a dentist licensed in another state or a Canadian province, provided that as long as the applicant was operating lawfully under the laws and rules of that state or province; and
(5) A copy of the written practice agreement and standing orders required by section 18377, subsection 3;
Sec. 7. 32 MRSA §18345, sub-§2, ¶C-1 is enacted to read:
(1) Verification of having successfully completed a master of science degree or higher in dental therapy from an educational program that:
(a) Is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation or a successor organization approved by the board; or
(b) Meets the requirements for dental therapy education programs adopted by board rule;
(2) Verification of passing a clinical examination and all other examinations required by board rule. The clinical examination must be a comprehensive, competency-based clinical examination approved by the board and administered independently of an institution providing dental therapy education;
(3) Verification of having engaged in 2,000 hours of supervised clinical practice under the supervision of a dentist and in conformity with rules adopted by the board, during which supervised clinical practice the applicant is authorized to practice pursuant to paragraph F.
For purposes of meeting the clinical requirements of this subparagraph, an applicant's hours of supervised clinical experience while enrolled in the dental therapy program under subparagraph (1) may be included as well as hours completed under the supervision of a dentist licensed in another state or a Canadian province, as long as the applicant was operating lawfully under the laws and rules of that state or province; and
(4) A copy of the written practice agreement and standing orders required by section 18377, subsection 3;
Sec. 8. 32 MRSA §18345, sub-§2, ¶F, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is amended to read:
(1) Verification of meeting the requirements of paragraph C, subparagraphs (1) to (3) or paragraph C-1, subparagraphs (1) and (2); and
(2) A copy of the written agreement between the applicant and a dentist who will provide levels of supervision consistent with the scope of practice outlined in section 18377 and in conformity with rules adopted by the board.
During the period of provisional authority the applicant may be compensated for services performed as a dental hygiene therapist or advanced dental therapist. The period of provisional authority may not exceed 3 years.
Sec. 9. 32 MRSA §18371, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is amended to read:
Sec. 10. 32 MRSA §18377, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is amended to read:
§ 18377. Dental therapist; advanced dental therapist
(1) Perform oral health assessments, pulpal disease assessments for primary and young teeth, simple cavity preparations and restorations and simple extractions;
(2) Prepare and place stainless steel crowns and aesthetic anterior crowns for primary incisors and prepare, place and remove space maintainers;
(3) Provide referrals;
(4) Administer local anesthesia and nitrous oxide analgesia;
(5) Perform preventive services;
(6) Conduct urgent management of dental trauma, perform suturing, extract primary teeth and perform nonsurgical extractions of periodontally diseased permanent teeth if authorized in advance by the supervising dentist;
(7) Provide, dispense and administer anti-inflammatories, nonprescription analgesics, antimicrobials, antibiotics and anticaries materials;
(8) Administer radiographs; and
(9) Perform other related services and functions authorized by the supervising dentist and for which the dental hygiene therapist is trained.
(1) The services and procedures and the practice settings for those services and procedures that the dental hygiene therapist or advanced dental therapist may provide, together with any limitations on those services and procedures;
(2) Any age-specific and procedure-specific practice protocols, including case selection criteria, assessment guidelines and imaging frequency;
(3) Procedures to be used with patients treated by the dental hygiene therapist or advanced dental therapist for obtaining informed consent and for creating and maintaining dental records;
(4) A plan for review of patient records by the supervising dentist and the dental hygiene therapist or advanced dental therapist;
(5) A plan for managing medical emergencies in each practice setting in which the dental hygiene therapist or advanced dental therapist provides care;
(6) A quality assurance plan for monitoring care, including patient care review, referral follow-up and a quality assurance chart review;
(7) Protocols for administering and dispensing medications, including the specific circumstances under which medications may be administered and dispensed;
(8) Criteria for providing care to patients with specific medical conditions or complex medical histories, including requirements for consultation prior to initiating care; and
(9) Specific written protocols, including a plan for providing clinical resources and referrals, governing situations in which the patient requires treatment that exceeds the scope of practice or capabilities of the dental hygiene therapist or advanced dental therapist.
Sec. 11. Maine Revised Statutes amended; revision clause. Wherever in the Maine Revised Statutes the words "dental hygiene therapist" appear or reference is made to those words, they are amended to read or mean, as appropriate, "dental therapist," and the Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when updating, publishing or republishing the statutes.
Sec. 12. Maine Revised Statutes amended; revision clause. Wherever in the Maine Revised Statutes the words "dental hygiene therapy" appear or reference is made to those words, they are amended to read or mean, as appropriate, "dental therapy," and the Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when updating, publishing or republishing the statutes.