March 16, 2021 - Introduced by Representatives Plumer, Armstrong, Baldeh,
Brooks, Callahan, Dittrich, Duchow, Gundrum, Krug, Magnafici, Moses,
Mursau, L. Myers, Neylon, Ramthun, J. Rodriguez, Rozar, Schraa,
Skowronski, Snyder, Spiros, Tauchen and Zimmerman, cosponsored by
Senators Felzkowski, Bernier, Darling, Kooyenga, Pfaff, Ringhand,
Stafsholt, Stroebel and L. Taylor. Referred to Committee on Assembly
Organization.

AB169,2,2 1An Act to amend 15.405 (6) (b), 36.61 (1) (b), 36.61 (3) (a), 36.61 (5) (b) 1., 36.61
2(8) (c) 3., 146.81 (1) (c), 146.89 (1) (r) 1., 146.89 (1) (r) 5., 146.89 (3) (b) 8., 146.89
3(3m) (intro.), 146.997 (1) (d) 3., 155.01 (7), 252.14 (1) (ar) 3., 257.01 (5) (a), 257.01
4(5) (b), 447.02 (1) (a), 447.02 (1) (b), 447.02 (2) (a), 447.02 (3) (a) (intro.), 447.02
5(3) (a) 2., 447.02 (3) (b), 447.02 (5), 447.03 (3) (c), 447.05, 447.06 (1), 447.06 (2)
6(a) 3., 447.06 (2) (b), 447.06 (2) (c) (intro.), 447.06 (2) (c) 2. (intro.), 447.063,
7447.065, 447.07 (1), 447.07 (3) (intro.), 447.07 (3) (e) to (h), 447.40 (intro.),
8447.40 (6), 448.03 (2) (a), 448.21 (1) (a), 450.03 (1) (e), 450.10 (3) (a) 4., 462.02
9(2) (d), 462.04, 463.10 (5), 463.12 (5), 632.87 (4), 895.48 (1m) (a) (intro.), 895.48
10(1m) (a) 2. and 941.315 (5); and to create 36.61 (1) (ak), 440.03 (13) (b) 20m.,
11440.08 (2) (a) 25m., 447.01 (6g), 447.01 (6r), 447.02 (1) (g), 447.02 (3) (a) 3.,
12447.02 (6), 447.03 (1m), 447.03 (3) (am), 447.04 (1m), 447.057, 447.06 (1m) and
13447.06 (3) of the statutes; relating to: licensure of dental therapists; extending
14the time limit for emergency rule procedures; providing an exemption from

1emergency rule procedures; providing an exemption from rule-making
2procedures; and granting rule-making authority.

This bill provides for the licensure of dental therapists, who are health care
practitioners who may engage in the limited practice of dentistry.

Under current law, dentists and dental hygienists are licensed by the Dentistry
Examining Board to practice dentistry and dental hygiene, respectively. This bill
provides for the licensure of a third type of dental practitioner, dental therapists.
Under the bill, the board must grant a dental therapist license to an individual who
satisfies certain criteria, including completion of an approved dental therapy
program and passage of required examinations.

Dental therapists may provide dental therapy services only under the
supervision of a dentist with whom the dental therapist has a collaborative
management agreement that addresses various aspects of the dental therapist's
practice. Dental therapists are, subject to the terms of a collaborative management
agreement and what was covered in their dental therapy education program, limited
to providing services, treatments, and procedures that are specified in the bill, as
well as additional services, treatments, or procedures specified by the board by rule.
Dental therapists may initially provide dental therapy services only under the direct
or indirect supervision of a qualifying dentist. Once a dental therapist licensed has
provided dental therapy services for at least 2,000 hours, the dental therapist may
provide services under the general supervision of a qualifying dentist. However, the
level of supervision for a dental therapist may be further limited under the terms of
a collaborative management agreement. Dental therapists must also, under the bill,
either 1) limit their practice to federally defined dental shortage areas or 2) practice
in settings where at least 50 percent of their patient base consists of certain specified
populations. Dental therapists must complete 12 hours of continuing education each
biennium.

The bill subjects dental therapists to, or covers dental therapists under, various
other laws, including the health care records law, the volunteer health care provider
program, the health care worker protection law, and the emergency volunteer health
care practitioner law. The bill also provides for loan forgiveness for dental therapists
under the health care provider loan assistance program.

Finally, the bill requires, effective when 50 individuals become licensed as a
dental therapist in this state or five years after the bill is enacted, that, to the extent
possible, one of the dental hygienist members on the board also be licensed as a
dental therapist.