Bill > SB1124

This bill establishes a new category of dental professional called an "oral preventive assistant" with specific qualifications and limited practice scope. To become an oral preventive assistant, a dental assistant must complete a board-approved 120-hour training course and meet prerequisites including current CPR certification, coronal polishing and radiography certification, and either national board certification in dental assisting or graduation from an accredited dental assisting program. The oral preventive assistant's practice is strictly limited to removing plaque, calculus, and stains using scalers or sonic/ultrasonic devices, but only on periodontally healthy patients or those with mild gingivitis. They are prohibited from using air polishing technology or treating patients with periodontal disease, recession, medical complications, or under sedation. The assistant must practice under direct supervision of a dentist (who can supervise up to three assistants) or a dental hygienist (who can supervise only one), and must inform patients that their care is not provided by a licensed dental provider. Additionally, the state board of dental examiners is required to collect and report data about oral preventive assistants by January 1, 2029, with the reporting requirement set to expire on June 30, 2029.