Senate Bill No. 627
               Senate Bill No. 627

              PUBLIC ACT NO. 97-239


AN  ACT  CONCERNING  ACCESS  TO  PREVENTIVE DENTAL
CARE.


    Be it enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of
Representatives in General Assembly convened:
    (NEW) (a) There is established a pilot program
to  increase access  to  preventive  dental  care,
particularly for children  and the elderly who are
Medicaid recipients, uninsured or underinsured.
    (b)  To  further  an  increase  in  access  to
preventive dental care  pursuant to subsection (a)
of this act  and notwithstanding the provisions of
section  20-126l  of   the   general  statutes,  a
licensed  dental  hygienist   with  two  years  of
experience may be  employed  as a dental hygienist
in  an institution,  other  than  a  hospital,  as
defined  in  section   19a-490   of   the  general
statutes, a community  health center, a group home
or a school  setting  without  dental supervision.
Each dental hygienist  in  such  setting shall (1)
report  the  results  of  the  assessment  to  the
patient  and  to  the  appropriate  administrative
staff of the  employing  facility,  (2)  refer for
treatment  any  patient  with  needs  outside  the
dental  hygienist's scope  of  practice,  and  (3)
coordinate  the  referral   process   to  dentists
licensed pursuant to  chapter  379  of the general
statutes.
    (c)  On  or   before   January  1,  1999,  the
Department of Public  Health,  after  consultation
with  the Department  of  Social  Services,  shall
report to the  General  Assembly  on the effect of
the  pilot program  established  by  this  act  on
access to preventive  dental  care by the targeted
population. The report  shall  include whether the
percentage of licensed dentists accepting Medicaid
recipients has reached or exceeded thirty-five per
cent of licensed  dentists.  If such level has not
been reached or exceeded, the report shall include
recommendations  on  whether   the  pilot  program
should be continued.
    (d) The pilot  program established by this act
shall terminate September 30, 1999.

Approved June 24, 1997