130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2021
Legislative Document No. 1457
H.P. 1073 House of Representatives, April 12, 2021
An Act To Improve Access to Dental Hygiene by Authorizing Dental
Hygienists To Perform Dental Hygiene Diagnosis
Received by the Clerk of the House on April 8, 2021. Referred to the Committee on Health
Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed
pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative GROHOSKI of Ellsworth.
Cosponsored by Representatives: BROOKS of Lewiston, CRAVEN of Lewiston, WHITE of
Waterville.
Printed on recycled paper
1 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2 Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §18302, sub-§6-A is enacted to read:
3 6-A. Dental hygiene diagnosis. "Dental hygiene diagnosis" means the identification
4 of an existing oral health problem that a dental hygienist is qualified and licensed to treat.
5 Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §18374, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is
6 repealed.
7 Sec. 3. 32 MRSA §18374, sub-§2, ¶TT, as amended by PL 2017, c. 388, §19, is
8 further amended to read:
9 TT. Smooth and polish amalgam restorations; and
10 Sec. 4. 32 MRSA §18374, sub-§2, ¶VV, as amended by PL 2017, c. 388, §19, is
11 further amended to read:
12 VV. Obtain impressions for study casts, athletic mouth guards, custom trays, bleaching
13 trays, fluoride trays, opposing models, retainers and stents.;
14 Sec. 5. 32 MRSA §18374, sub-§2, ¶ZZ is enacted to read:
15 ZZ. Perform dental hygiene diagnoses; and
16 Sec. 6. 32 MRSA §18374, sub-§2, ¶AAA is enacted to read:
17 AAA. Administer local anesthesia or nitrous oxide analgesia, as long as the dental
18 hygienist or faculty dental hygienist has authority to administer the relevant medication
19 pursuant to section 18345, subsection 2, paragraph D or E.
20 Sec. 7. 32 MRSA §18375, sub-§1, ¶P, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is
21 amended to read:
22 P. Expose and process radiographs, including but not limited to vertical and horizontal
23 bitewing films, periapical films, panoramic images and full-mouth series, under
24 protocols developed by the board as long as the independent practice dental hygienist
25 has a written agreement with a licensed dentist that provides that the dentist is available
26 to interpret all dental radiographs within 21 days from the date the radiograph is taken
27 and that the dentist will sign a radiographic review and findings form; and
28 Sec. 8. 32 MRSA §18375, sub-§1, ¶Q, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is
29 amended to read:
30 Q. Prescribe, dispense or administer anticavity toothpastes or topical gels with 1.1%
31 or less sodium fluoride and oral rinses with 0.05%, 0.2%, 0.44% or 0.5% sodium
32 fluoride, as well as chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse. For the purposes of this
33 paragraph, "topical" includes superficial and intraoral application.; and
34 Sec. 9. 32 MRSA §18375, sub-§1, ¶R is enacted to read:
35 R. Perform dental hygiene diagnoses.
36 Sec. 10. 32 MRSA §18376, sub-§1, ¶FF, as amended by PL 2017, c. 388, §23, is
37 further amended to read:
38 FF. Obtain impressions for and deliver athletic mouth guards and custom fluoride
39 trays; and
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1 Sec. 11. 32 MRSA §18376, sub-§1, ¶GG, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is
2 amended to read:
3 GG. Take intraoral photographs.; and
4 Sec. 12. 32 MRSA §18376, sub-§1, ¶HH is enacted to read:
5 HH. Perform dental hygiene diagnoses.
6 SUMMARY
7 This bill adds dental hygiene diagnosis to the procedures a dental hygienist, an
8 independent practice dental hygienist and a public health dental hygienist may perform
9 under the general supervision of a dentist. The bill also authorizes a dental hygienist to
10 administer local anesthesia or nitrous oxide analgesia under the general supervision of a
11 dentist instead of under the direct supervision of a dentist.
Page 2 - 130LR1648(01)
Statutes affected: Bill Text LD 1457, HP 1073: 32.18374, 32.18375, 32.18376