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"But the history of the world shows the vast majority, in every generation, passively accept the conditions into which they are born, while those who demand larger liberties are ever a small ostracized minority, whose claims are ridiculed and ignored."
Elizabeth Cady Stanton 1898....suffragette
Maryland Dental Hygienists' Association
2008 Legislative Fact Sheet
The Maryland Dental Hygienists' Association (MDHA) supports the seven recommendations of the Dental Action Committee as a package. All seven recommendation are important to achieve a better Medicaid system and to improve access to care. The goal is to establish a dental home for all Medicaid children in Maryland. The DAC Committee was formed by Secretary Colmers of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. MDHA was part of this committee. The recommendations are:
First: Initiate a state wide single vendor dental Administrative Services (ASO) provider for Maryland.
Second: Increase dental reimbursement rates to the 50th percentile of the American Dental Association's South Atlantic region charges for all dental codes.
Third: Maintain and enhance the dental public health infrastructure through the Office of Oral Health by ensuring that each local jurisdiction has a local health department dental clinic and a community oral health safety net clinic and by providing funding to fulfill the requirements outlined in the Oral Health Safety Net legislation (SB181/HS 30 2007).
Fourth: Establish a public health level dental hygienist to provide screening, prophylaxis, fluoride varnish, sealants and x-rays in public settings.
Fifth: Develop a unified and culturally and linguistically appropriate oral health message for use throughout the state to educate parents and caregivers of young children about oral health and the prevention of oral disease.
Sixth: Incorporate dental screenings with vision and hearing screenings for public school children or require dental exams prior to school entry.
Seventh: Provide training to dental and medical providers to provide oral health risk assessments, educate parents/caregivers about oral health and assist families in establishing a dental home for all children.
There will be a bill to establish the Public Health Hygienist. The bill will address allowing the Public Health Hygienist to work in dental facilities owned and operated by the federal, the state , or a local government, a public health department or public school of the state or a county. Also at health facilities licensed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,
facilities providing medical care to the poor, elderly or handicapped that is owned and operated by the state or a local government, and facillity in which a state licensed Head Start or Early Head Start Program operates. The Public health Hygienist would be able to work under general supervision to the full scope of dental hygiene practice to include sealants and fluoride agents.
: (HB 919) - Delegate Jim Hubbard
(please see Bills of Note below for more info & hearing dates)
Allow all 4 dental
hygiene members on the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners (MSBODE) to
serve on the Dental Hygiene Committee which currently only 3 of the hygiene
members are allowed to serve. Allowing all four hygiene members to serve on the
dental hygiene committee will help strengthen the voice of dental hygiene on
the MSBODE.Change the number of nominations required to be provided to the
state for each Dental Hygiene vacancy on the Board of dental Examiners to 2 per
vacancy. Under current law there has to be 4 names submitted for each
vacancy. When there are multiple vacancies to be filled it is difficult to find
enough names of volunteers wishing to serve on the Board. Having a smaller
number of names will make a positive impact on the Board nominations
process.Clarify General Supervision practice requirements for dental
hygienists in private dental offices by eliminating a limit on the
percentage of the work week a hygienist can practice under general supervision;
increasing the treatment authorization time period that allows a hygienist to
treat a patient under general supervision; and eliminating the need for a
written agreement between a dentist and hygienist practicing under general
supervision. The requirements as they currently stand make it difficult for
dentists and hygienists alike to comply.MDHA Bills 2008 Legislature
BILLS OF NOTE:
"MDHA Clean Up Bill" - Delegate Jim Hubbard (Please see above for more info)
HOUSE BILL 919 "Dental Hygienists-Nomination Process for State Board of Dental Examiners- Advisory Committee Composition- Practice in Private Dental Offices"
A hearing has been scheduled for WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5th in the House health and Government Operations Committee. Hearings begin at 1:00 pm but we will not know until the hearings start when our bill will be heard.
Public Health Hygienist Bill: (DAC - See seven points listed above)
HOUSE BILL 1280 - "Public Health Dental Hygiene Act" - No hearing scheduled yet
SENATE BILL 818 -"Public Health Dental Hygiene Act" - No hearing scheduled yet
Dental Hygiene Student Bill:
SENATE BILL 511 - "Health Occupations-Dental Hygiene Students- Exception From Licensure Requirements While Participating in Approved Educational Program"
- No hearing scheduled yet
Board of Dental Examiners Bill: (Delegate Shirley Nathan-Pulliam)
HOUSE BILL 811- " State Board of Dental Examiners- Nomination of Members- Investigation and Disciplinary Procedures- Data Collection"
A hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 5th in the House Health and Government Operations Committee. hearings begin at 1:00 pm but we will not know until the hearings start whenthe bill will be heard.
PLEASE NOTE: If you wish to view and or print out copies of these bills, please click on www.bmbassoc.com/mdha08.html
When contacting your elected officials the following three links will assist you in finding out your legislative election district, who your elected officials are, and how to contact a legislator by e-mail, phone or postal mail.
or you may click on this link to go to: www.bmbassoc.com .
click on "Contact Your Legislator" and
from there you can e-mail members of the committee directly
by simply clicking on their name or you may use the links provided above.
Members are urged to check these Legislative Alert pages frequently for updated information on issues affecting your dental hygiene scope of practice. For future reference and to assist you with future legislative issues, please note the four links above which provide a listing of all Maryland Legislators' names, address and e-mail contact information.
NEW INFORMATION YOU NEED TO READ!
After a very long wait this document prepared
by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and
Services Administration
entitled"The Professional Practice Environment Of Dental Hygienists
In the Fifty States and the District of Columbia, 2001" has been released and
is on line. This is a very long read but all the info we need to move ourselves
forward as a profession is contained therein. This is MUST reading for all
legislative chairs and those whose committment to the profession of Dental
Hygiene is strong enough to want change. Please
click here to link to the document.
Important reference materials are
linked below.
Access to
Care Position Paper, 2001
Oral Health
in America: A Report of the Surgeon General, May 2000
