| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to dentistry; amending s. 466.004, F.S.; |
| 3 | revising membership, meetings, and duties of the Council |
| 4 | on Dental Hygiene; providing duties of the Board of |
| 5 | Dentistry with respect to rule and policy recommendations |
| 6 | of the council; providing for resolution by the Department |
| 7 | of Health of disagreements between the council and board |
| 8 | with respect to such recommendations; amending s. 466.023, |
| 9 | F.S.; authorizing dental hygienists to assess and refer |
| 10 | patients for dental examinations at certain facilities, |
| 11 | institutions, and places; providing an effective date. |
| 12 |
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| 13 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 14 |
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| 15 | Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section |
| 16 | 466.004, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 17 | 466.004 Board of Dentistry.-- |
| 18 | (2) To advise the board, it is the intent of the |
| 19 | Legislature that councils be appointed as specified in |
| 20 | paragraphs (a), (b), and (c). The department shall provide |
| 21 | administrative support to the councils and shall provide public |
| 22 | notice of meetings and agenda of the councils. Councils shall |
| 23 | include at least one board member who shall chair the council |
| 24 | and shall include nonboard members. All council members shall be |
| 25 | appointed by the board chair. Council members shall be appointed |
| 26 | for 4-year terms, and all members shall be eligible for |
| 27 | reimbursement of expenses in the manner of board members. |
| 28 | (a) A Council on Dental Hygiene shall be appointed by the |
| 29 | board chair and shall include one dental hygienist member of the |
| 30 | board, who shall chair the council, one dental member of the |
| 31 | board, and four three dental hygienists recommended by the |
| 32 | Florida Dental Hygiene Association who are actively engaged in |
| 33 | the practice of dental hygiene in this state. The council shall |
| 34 | meet at least three times each calendar year. Additional |
| 35 | meetings may be called at the request of the board chair, a |
| 36 | majority of the members of the council board, or the council |
| 37 | chair. The council is charged with the responsibility of and |
| 38 | shall meet for the purpose of developing all rules and policies |
| 39 | relating to for recommendation to the board, which the board |
| 40 | shall consider, on matters pertaining to that part of dentistry |
| 41 | consisting of educational, preventive, or therapeutic dental |
| 42 | hygiene services; dental hygiene licensure, discipline, or |
| 43 | regulation; and dental hygiene education, which the council |
| 44 | shall submit to the board as recommendation. Rule and policy |
| 45 | recommendations of the council shall be considered by the board |
| 46 | immediately following the submission of the proposed rule in the |
| 47 | same manner as it considers rule and policy recommendations from |
| 48 | designated subcommittees of the board. Any rule or policy |
| 49 | proposed by the board pertaining to the specified part of |
| 50 | dentistry defined by this paragraph shall be referred to the |
| 51 | council for a recommendation prior to final action by the board. |
| 52 | If the council disagrees with such finding of the board, the |
| 53 | department shall determine whether the board must ratify the |
| 54 | recommendation. |
| 55 | Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) and subsection |
| 56 | (3) of section 466.023, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 57 | 466.023 Dental hygienists; scope and area of practice.-- |
| 58 | (2) Dental hygienists may perform their duties: |
| 59 | (c) Upon a patient of record of a dentist who has issued a |
| 60 | prescription for the services of a dental hygienist, which |
| 61 | prescription shall be valid for 2 years unless a shorter length |
| 62 | of time is designated by the dentist, in: |
| 63 | 1. Licensed public and private health facilities.; |
| 64 | 2. Other public institutions of the state and federal |
| 65 | government.; |
| 66 | 3. Public and private educational institutions.; |
| 67 | 4. The home of a nonambulatory patient.; and |
| 68 | 5. Other places in accordance with the rules of the board. |
| 69 |
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| 70 | However, the dentist issuing such prescription shall remain |
| 71 | responsible for the care of such patient. As used in this |
| 72 | subsection, "patient of record" means a patient upon whom a |
| 73 | dentist has taken a complete medical history, completed a |
| 74 | clinical examination, recorded any pathological conditions, and |
| 75 | prepared a treatment plan. |
| 76 | (3) Dental hygienists may, without supervision, provide |
| 77 | educational programs, faculty or staff training programs, and |
| 78 | authorized fluoride rinse programs; assess and refer patients |
| 79 | for dental examinations at those facilities, institutions, and |
| 80 | places listed under paragraph (2)(c);, and provide other |
| 81 | services which do not involve diagnosis or treatment of dental |
| 82 | conditions and which services are approved by rule of the board. |
| 83 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004. |