Stephanie Gibson Smith Texas Legislative Associates Legislative Update 2014 Stephanie Gibson Smith Texas Legislative Associates .

Legislative Proposals Local Anesthesia Expansion of Current Workforce Practice Environments Mid-Level : Dental Hygiene Practitioner Reinstate the loan forgiveness and/or reimbursement program for rural areas and all dental HPSA’s in Texas and modify to include dental hygienists.

Local Anesthesia Delegated by Dentist Baccalaureate degree or Licensed for up at least a year practicing in a branch of the United States armed forces Licensed for up at least a year practicing in another state

Expansion of Current Workforce Collaborative Agreement with Dentist Patient Care for up to 18 months without referral to a dentist Use of Telemedicine Preventive Care in Additional Facilities – Head Start center, pre-school, K-12 school, community center, adult day care facility, correctional facility, home health care environment, charitable clinic, veterans or military clinic, hospital and long-term care facility

Dental Hygiene Practitioner Assessments and treatments; preparations; restorations. Perform oral health assessments, pulpal disease assessments for primary and young teeth, simple cavity preparations, provisional restorations and simple non surgical extractions; Crowns; space maintainers. Prepare and place stainless steel crowns and aesthetic anterior temporary crowns for primary incisors and prepare, place and remove space maintainers; Referrals. Provide referrals for further dental or medical assessment; Anesthesia. Administer local anesthesia and nitrous oxide analgesia; Preventive services. Perform preventive services;

Dental Hygiene Practitioner Cont. Management of dental trauma, minor surgical care and suturing; extractions. Conduct urgent management of dental trauma, perform minor surgical care and suturing, non surgical extraction of primary and permanent teeth; Prescribe. Prescribe anti-inflammatories, analgesics, antimicrobials, antibiotics and anticaries materials in consultation with the supervising dentist or through standing orders from the supervising dentist; Radiographs. Administer radiographs; and Other related services and functions. Perform other related services and functions authorized by the supervising dentist and for which the dental hygiene practitioner is trained.

Dental Hygiene Practitioner Cont. Education and Experience: Is a licensed dental hygienist and has graduated from an dental hygiene practitioner education program which: 1. Meets the standards adopted in this State for the certification of a bachelor’s degree-granting program as a dental hygiene practitioner at an accredited postsecondary institution; 3. Meets the requirements for dental hygiene practitioner education programs adopted by the board.

Texas Dental Access Coalition Mission: Improved Access to Oral Healthcare Increase the Number of New Patients Seen Increase Jobs Free Market Based Approach Lower Healthcare Costs for the State and Patients Members: Texas Public Policy Foundation, Texas Conservative Coalition, Charitable Clinics, Long term Care Facilities, Adult Day Care Centers, Career Tech Schools, Coalition for Disabilities, ARC, Correctional Facilities

Ultimate Goal of Coalition Involvement of all stakeholders to build support for addressing lack of care through legislation next session focusing on providing quality access to care moving the focus to what is best for the patients in Texas and not on protecting one’s existing turf.

Your Responsibility ACTIVELY engage with your personal legislators Hygienists Need to work on campaigns every weekend of October

We Need New Legisaltive Champions… Let me know if you have a connection with a legislator. If not, develop one!

Texas State Dental Board Issues Hygienists Use of Lasers Use of uninitiated lasers for biostimulation which does not cut or cause irreversible damage Sen. Schwertner Letter to Board GAC Chairs and President’s Engagement Dental Service Organization Regulation

2014 Election Update

The Domino Effect…. Governor – running for President ??? Lt. Governor – Defeated Attorney Gen. – running for Governor Comptroller – retiring Land Commissioner – defeated in race for Lt. Gov. Agriculture Comm. – defeated in race for Lt. Gov. Railroad Commissioner – defeated in race for AG

8 New or Fairly State Senators and 80-100 Fairly New House Members Potentially: 8 New or Fairly State Senators and 80-100 Fairly New House Members

66% of all Legislators will have served two sessions or less…… New Legislator Alert !!! 66% of all Legislators will have served two sessions or less……

Time to invest in your profession… Help remove the burden from being the most regulated state in the country! Your involvement is Critical!!

Time to invest in your profession… Freedom isn’t free… HYPAC

Stephanie Gibson Smith 512-497-7071 Gibson-stephanie@sbcglobal.net Thank you Stephanie Gibson Smith 512-497-7071 Gibson-stephanie@sbcglobal.net