Bill > H4169

This bill amends South Carolina's dental hygiene regulations to expand the scope of practice for dental hygienists and clarify their roles in various healthcare settings. The bill introduces a new definition for "primary preventive care that is reversible," which includes specific dental techniques like Atraumatic Restorative Technique (ART) and Therapeutic Dental Sealants. It allows dental hygienists to perform a broader range of services without direct supervision in settings such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and public health facilities, including applying topical fluoride, taking radiographs, and performing oral prophylaxis. The legislation ensures that dental hygienists practicing in public health settings without direct supervision can be recognized as providers by Medicaid and other payers and be directly reimbursed. Additionally, the bill modifies supervision requirements for dental hygienists in private office settings, specifying that new patients must be examined by a dentist during their initial visit and subsequent patients must be examined at least every twelve months. The changes aim to improve access to dental care, particularly in underserved settings, by providing more flexibility for dental hygienists to provide preventive and primary dental services.

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https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=4169&session=126&summary=B