Current StatusView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.Bill Number: 315 Ratification Number: 483 Act Number 439 Introducing Body: Senate Subject: Board of Dentistry reauthorized
(A439, R483, S315)
AN ACT TO REAUTHORIZE THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF DENTISTRY FOR SIX YEARS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-15-20, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE BOARD, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE DENTAL HYGIENIST MEMBER TO VOTE ON DISCIPLINARY MATTERS FOR DENTISTS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-15-80, RELATING TO THE DEFINITION OF "DENTAL HYGIENE", SO AS TO PROVIDE THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH A PERSON IS CONSIDERED TO BE PRACTICING DENTAL HYGIENE, AND TO PROVIDE AUTHORIZATIONS AND LIMITATIONS ON THE TYPE OF TREATMENT WHICH MAY BE PROVIDED BY LICENSED DENTAL HYGIENISTS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Board of Dentistry reauthorized
SECTION 1. The South Carolina State Board of Dentistry is reauthorized for six years.
Voting rights of members
SECTION 2. The seventh paragraph of Section 40-15-20 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"All members of the board have full voting rights except that the lay member is exempt from voting on examinations for licensure and the dental hygienist is exempt from voting on examination for licensure for dentists."
Dental hygiene -- practice of
SECTION 3. Section 40-15-80 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 40-15-80. (A) Any person is considered to be practicing dental hygiene who engages in those clinical procedures primarily concerned with the performance of preventive dental services not constituting the practice of dentistry, including removing all hard and soft deposits and stains from the surfaces of the human teeth, performing clinical examination of teeth and surrounding tissues for diagnosis by the dentist, and performing such other procedures, under the supervision of a licensed dentist, as may be delegated by regulations of the board.
(B) In school settings, licensed dental hygienists may provide oral hygiene instruction and counseling, perform oral screenings, provide nutrition and dietary counseling and apply topical fluoride without the presence of a dentist on the premises.
(C) In school settings, application of sealants and oral prophylaxis are subject to the following restrictions:
(1) Whenever a sealant or prophylaxis is placed or provided, only those students identified as 'dentally indigent' are eligible for the treatment. 'Dentally indigent' as used here refers to all students who are eligible for Medicaid or all students who are on free or reduced lunch programs or are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs, or both.
(2) A licensed dental hygienist must receive authorization from a licensed dentist who is either his employer or supervising dentist before placement of sealants or a prophylaxis is provided.
(3) A pre-examination and written authorization by the authorizing dentist, to occur no more than forty-five days before treatment is administered, is required before any student receives sealant application or oral prophylaxis, or both. Treatment cannot be authorized for a student who is an active patient of another dentist.
(D) In facilities owned or operated by the federal, state, or local government, and in nursing home facilities, licensed dental hygienists may provide oral hygiene instruction and counseling, perform oral screenings, provide nutrition and dietary counseling, and apply topical fluorides without the presence of a dentist on the premises. A licensed dental hygienist must receive authorization from a licensed dentist who is either his employer or supervising dentist before placement of sealants. A pre-examination and written authorization by the authorizing dentist, to occur no more than forty-five days before treatment is administered, is required before any individual may receive sealants. Treatment cannot be authorized for an individual who is an active patient of another dentist."
Time effective
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.