Existing law authorizes the Board of Dental Examiners of Nevada to issue to a licensed dental hygienist who meets certain qualifications prescribed by the Board a special endorsement that allows the dental hygienist to practice public health dental hygiene. Under existing law, a dental hygienist who holds such a special endorsement is authorized to provide services specified by the Board by regulation without the authorization or supervision of a dentist. (NRS 631.287) Existing regulations of the Board set forth: (1) various services that a dental hygienist who holds a special endorsement may provide without authorization or supervision of a dentist; (2) certain conditions for the provision of such services; and (3) the circumstances under which the authorization to provide such services may be suspended or revoked. (NAC 631.210) Section 12.5 of this bill codifies such authorized services, conditions and circumstances into statute. Sections 1, 3-9, 11, 12 and 14-16 of this bill require certain public and private policies of health insurance and health plans, including Medicaid, who provide coverage for a dental service that a qualified dental hygienist is authorized to provide without the supervision of a dentist to provide coverage for that service when provided by such a qualified dental hygienist without the supervision of a dentist to the same extent as if provided by a qualified dental hygienist under the supervision of a dentist. Sections 1, 3, 4, 6-8, 11, 12 and 16 define the term “qualified dental hygienist” to mean a dental hygienist who holds a special endorsement to practice public health dental hygiene, is employed by a nonprofit organization and provides services within the scope of that employment. Section 13 of this bill makes a conforming change to require the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services to administer the provisions of section 16 in the same manner as other provisions relating to Medicaid. Section 2 of this bill authorizes the Commissioner of Insurance to require that certain policies of health insurance issued by a domestic insurer to a person who resides in another state include the coverage required by section 1. Section 10 of this bill authorizes the Commissioner to suspend or revoke the certificate of authority of a health maintenance organization that fails to comply with the requirements of section 8. The Commissioner would also be authorized to take such action against other private health insurers and organizations for dental care that fail to comply with the requirements of sections 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11 and 12. (NRS 680A.200, 695D.300)

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 689A.330, 689C.425, 695C.050, 695C.330, 232.320, 287.010, 287.04335
Reprint 1: 689A.330, 689C.425, 695C.050, 695C.330, 631.287, 232.320, 287.010, 287.04335
As Enrolled: 689A.330, 689C.425, 695C.050, 695C.330, 631.287, 232.320, 287.010, 287.04335
BDR: 689A.330, 689C.425, 695C.050, 695C.330, 232.320, 287.010, 287.04335