Senate Bill 2595

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 73-9-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PRESCRIBE THE SUPERVISION REQUIRED FOR DENTAL HYGIENISTS IN A PUBLIC HEALTH SETTING; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 73-9-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

73-9-5. (1) For the purpose of this chapter, a dental hygienist shall be an individual who has completed an accredited dental hygiene education program, passed the national dental hygiene board and is licensed by the State Board of Dental Examiners to provide, as an auxiliary to the dentist, preventive care services including, but not limited to, scaling and polishing. In fulfilling these services, dental hygienists provide treatment that helps to prevent oral disease such as dental caries and periodontal disease and for educating patients in prevention of these and other dental problems.

(2) The work of dental hygienists and dental assistants while working in the office of a regularly licensed and registered dentist shall at all times be under the direct supervision of the dentist. Dental hygienists in the employ of the State Board of Health or public school boards shall be under public health supervision subject to the provisions of subsection (4) of this section. Dental hygienists recognized by the Board of Dental Examiners when making public demonstrations of dental hygiene for educational purposes shall be under the general supervision and direction of regularly licensed and registered dentists.

(3) The Board of Dental Examiners may prohibit any dental hygienist or other auxiliary personnel from rendering service that it feels is not in the best interest of the public welfare.

(4) (a) For the purpose of this subsection (4), public health supervision is a type of supervision in which a Mississippi licensed dentist is not required to be physically present when a licensed dental hygienist provides dental hygiene services, when such services are provided as part of an organized community program in various public health settings, defined in paragraph (c), and with oversight of such program(s) by a Mississippi licensed dentist in the employ of the public or nonprofit governing authority.

(b) The recognized public or nonprofit governing authority must obtain a public health supervision agreement with the organized community program, be available to provide an appropriate level of contact, communication, collaboration and consultation with the dental hygienist; have specified standing orders and policy guidelines for procedures which are to be performed; and assure that those who self-report as not having a dental provider are given information on how to obtain a comprehensive dental examination.

(c) For the purposes of this subsection (4), the following public settings shall require a public health supervision agreement: schools; Head Start programs; federally qualified health centers; mobile and portable public health dental programs; nonprofit dental service corporations; nursing homes; long-term care facilities; and federal, state or local public health clinics.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.