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LD
1514, sponsored by Rep. Heather
Sirocki, a dental hygienist, was vetoed by the Gov. Paul LePage
(R-ME) on April 26. The bill as
passed by both Chambers amended previously passed statutory
language which created the category of a dental hygiene therapist and detailed
educational and supervisory requirements. Specifically, the bill as amended by
the Maine legislature does the following:
The bill corrects conflicts
created by the enactment of Public Law 2015, chapter 429, which repealed and
replaced the laws governing dental professionals. The bill makes the following
changes to the provisions of law enacted in chapter 429:
- It changes the term "dental
hygiene therapist" to "dental therapist";
- It changes the term "dental
hygiene therapy" to "dental therapy";
- It specifies that an applicant who
has successfully completed a master's degree, instead of a bachelor's degree or
higher, in a dental therapy education program that is accredited by either the
Board of Dental Practice or the American Dental Association Commission on
Dental Accreditation (CODA) or a successor organization approved by the board
meets the requirements for having completed a dental therapy education program;
- It increases the number of hours
of supervised clinical practice that an applicant for dental therapist
authority must complete from 2,000 to 2,500;
- It removes the requirements that a
dental therapy education program be consistent with a specified model
curriculum, be consistent with programs in other states and be approved by the
board;
- It limits to five the number of
dental therapists that a single dentist may supervise at one time; and
- It removes
the requirement that a dental therapist practice under the direct supervision
of a dentist.
Although the bill was vetoed by the governor,
on April 29, the Maine House of Representatives voted 141-7-3 to override the
veto. However, on that same day, the Maine Senate sustained the veto with a
vote of 20-14. As a result, the final status of the bill is that the governor’s
veto has been sustained.