Bill > H0961

Introduced Session

An act relating to dental therapy; amending s. 409.906, F.S.; authorizing Medicaid to reimburse for dental services provided in a mobile dental unit that is owned by, operated by, or contracted with a health access setting or another similar setting or program; conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 466.001, F.S.; revising legislative purpose and intent; amending s. 466.002, F.S.; providing applicability; amending s. 466.003, F.S.; defining the terms "dental therapist" and "dental therapy"; revising the definition of the term "health access setting" to include certain dental therapy programs; amending s. 466.004, F.S.; requiring the chair of the Board of Dentistry to appoint a Council on Dental Therapy within a specified timeframe; providing for membership, meetings, and the purpose of the council; providing a process for rulemaking; making technical changes; amending s. 466.006, F.S.; revising the definition of the terms "full-time practice" and "full-time practice of dentistry within the geographic boundaries of this state within 1 year" to include full-time faculty members of certain dental therapy schools; amending s. 466.0075, F.S.; authorizing the board to require any person who applies to take the hb0961-00 HB 961 examination to practice dental therapy in this state to maintain medical malpractice insurance in a certain amount; amending s. 466.009, F.S.; requiring the Department of Health to allow an applicant who fails the dental therapy examination to retake the examination; providing that an applicant who fails a practical or clinical examination to practice dental therapy because of a failing grade on just one part or procedure tested is required to retake and receive a passing score on only the failed part or procedure to be eligible for licensure; requiring an applicant who fails more than one part or procedure tested to retake the entire examination; making technical changes; amending s. 466.011, F.S.; requiring the board to certify certain applicants for licensure as a dental therapist; creating s. 466.0136, F.S.; providing that the board must require each licensed dental therapist to complete a specified number of hours of continuing education; providing requirements for the content of such continuing education; requiring the board to adopt rules and guidelines; authorizing the board to excuse licensees from continuing education requirements in certain circumstances; amending s. 466.016, F.S.; requiring a practitioner of dental therapy to post and display her or his license in each hb0961-00 HB 961 office where she or he practices; amending s. 466.017, F.S.; requiring the board to adopt certain rules relating to dental therapists; requiring certain dental therapists to possess a specified certification; authorizing a dental therapist under the general supervision of a dentist to administer local anesthesia and operate an X-ray machine, expose dental X-ray films, and interpret or read such films if specified requirements are met; requiring certain dental therapists to report to the board within a specified timeframe adverse incidents related to or the result of the administration of local anesthesia; requiring a complete written report to be filed with the board within a specified timeframe; providing for discipline; making a technical change; amending s. 466.018, F.S.; providing that a dentist of record remains primarily responsible for the dental treatment of a patient regardless of whether the treatment is provided by a dental therapist; requiring the name or initials of a dental therapist who renders treatment to a patient to be placed in the record of the patient; creating s. 466.0225, F.S.; providing application requirements and examination and licensure qualifications for dental therapists; creating s. 466.0227, F.S.; providing legislative findings and hb0961-00 HB 961 intent; limiting the practice of dental therapy to specified settings; authorizing a dental therapist to perform specified services, including specified state- specific dental therapy services, under the general supervision of a dentist under certain conditions; requiring a collaborative management agreement to be signed by a supervising dentist and a dental therapist and to include certain information; requiring a supervising dentist to determine the number of hours of practice which a dental therapist must complete under direct or indirect supervision before performing certain authorized services under general supervision; authorizing a supervising dentist to restrict or limit a dental therapist's practice in a collaborative management agreement; authorizing a dental therapist to provide dental therapy services to a patient before the supervising dentist examines or diagnoses the patient under certain conditions; requiring a supervising dentist to be licensed or registered and practicing in this state; specifying that the supervising dentist is responsible for certain services and for providing and arranging certain followup services; amending s. 466.026, F.S.; providing criminal penalties; amending s. 466.028, F.S.; revising grounds for denial of a license or hb0961-00 HB 961 disciplinary action to include the practice of dental therapy; amending s. 921.0022, F.S.; conforming the criminal offense severity chart to changes made by the act; requiring the Department of Health, in consultation with the Board of Dentistry and the Agency for Health Care Administration, to submit certain reports to the Legislature by specified dates; providing requirements for such reports; providing an effective date.

Committee Categories

Melony Bell (R)*,  Dotie Joseph (D),  Rene Plasencia (R), 

Died in Professions & Public Health Subcommittee (on 04/30/2021)

Official Document