HB187 Signed By Governor

Occupational Employment Projections in New Mexico for a base year of 2000 and a projected year of 2010.

On April 7, 2011, Governor Martinez signed into law House Bill 187, “Expanded- Function Dental Auxiliaries”. The bill does not go into effect until late June (ninety days after the close of the session). However, rules to support the new statute language also need to be written by the New Mexico Board of Dentistry. This process includes a public hearing on the proposed rules, which may occur at its meeting on July 29, 2011.

Thank-you to everyone who helped in any way, big or small, during the legislative session! A special thanks to our lobbyist team Randy and Debbie Maestas-Traynor for all their hard work and persistence in getting it done!

In summary, the new statute contains the following provisions: To see the bill in its entirety, go to http://www.sos.state.nm.us/2011Bills/HB187.pdf.

Creates a Community Dental Health Coordinator (a combination community health worker/expanded function dental assistant or hygienist).
- Place temporary and sedative restorative material in unexcavated carious lesions and unprepared tooth fractures;
- Collect and transmit diagnostic data and images via telemetric connection;
- Dispense and apply medications on the specific order of a dentist;
- Provide limited palliative procedures for dental emergencies in consultation with a supervising dentist as allowed by the rules of the board;
- Works under general supervision in settings other than traditional dental office or clinic;
- Provides educational, preventive, limited palliative and assessment services;
Expands the dental hygiene scope of practice to include (if allowed by employer):
- Administration of local anesthesia under general supervision
- Dental hygiene focused assessment
- Limited prescriptive authority (fluorides and antimicrobials only- no antibiotics or pain meds)
- Assessment and application of sealants without a dentist’s examination
Teledentistry provision creates an Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary (Assistant or Dental Hygienist) under direct supervision
- Taking final impressions, excluding those for fixed or removable prosthetics involving multiple teeth;
- Fit and shape stainless steel crowns on primary teeth, to be cemented by a licensed dentist;
- Placing and shaping direct restorations;
- Cement indirect and provisional restorations for temporary use;
- Place temporary and sedative restorative material in hand excavated carious lesions and unprepared tooth fractures;
- Recement temporary or permanent crowns with temporary cement under general supervision in a situation that a licensed dentist deems it to be an emergency;
- Removal of orthodontic cement
Acceptance of all regional board exams for New Mexico licensure.
Public Service license for dental residents.
Temporary (3 day limit) public service license for dentists or dental hygienists involved in a charitable dental care project for which they receive no remuneration, sponsored by a non-profit organization.

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