|
|
|
Legislative Updates
Legislative Coffee - April 9, 2008
Join with members of ODHA's Government Relations Committee as we host our Annual Legislative Coffee at the State House. This year's event will be held on Wed. April 9th, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., and a special incentive is available to the first 50 volunteers.** We will be set up in two prime locations; The Ground Floor South Lobby, and the 1st Floor Grand Staircase Hallway. Network with colleagues and soon-to-be colleagues as we lend a voice to our Profession, and solicit the support of our Representatives and Senators. Check with your Trustee or SADHA Advisor for details.
Send a short note or email to your legislators in advance to let them know you will be coming to the Statehouse and that you look forward to meeting them.
Let's rally together at the Ohio Statehouse!! See you there!
|
HB 188/SB 178 –ACCESS TO CARE
House Bill 188 (Adams, Boyd), along with companion Senate Bill 178 (Padgett) were introduced during the 127th General Assembly. These two Bills represent an amended version of the original HB518, which was introduced late in the 126th General Assembly, but was subsequently withdrawn due to time constraints.
These two Bills are the Ohio Dental Hygienists’ answer to taking an active role in addressing the Access to Care concerns currently plaguing Ohio’s underserved populations. This legislature, as introduced, will allow Licensed Dental Hygienists to be first responders in numerous alternate practice settings under collaborative agreements with participating Dentists. The language in either of these Bills in NO WAY promotes independent practice, nor does it allow for direct reimbursement for services rendered.
Simply put, this legislature will allow the Licensed Dental Hygienist to go into alternate practice settings (Nursing Homes, Community Centers, Assisted Living Facilities, Group homes, Homeless Shelters, etc.) prior to a Dentist’s exam, establish a patient of record through medical/dental histories, oral assessments, and documentation, and provide preventative dental hygiene services allowable under our scope of practice and the services established in standing orders by the collaborating Dentist. The documented record for each patient will be taken back to the Dentist for review and treatment planning, and follow-up appointments will be scheduled with the Dentist for further treatment needs.
Now is the time to actively engage in communication with your Representatives and Senators. They want to hear from YOU! YOU are the grassroots individuals who put them in office. YOUR opinions matter to them. Please, take just a few minutes to write down, in your own words, your support for this very critical piece of legislation which can have a tremendous impact on future outcomes. (form letter samples are also available) If you do not know who your Representative or Senator is, we have a direct link to help you connect. All it takes is your zip code.
The indigent and underserved populations of Ohio have gone too long without oral hygiene services. We, as a Profession, are ideally positioned to play a major role in the solution to Access to Care in Ohio. YOU can make it happen.
Currently HB188 is in the House Health Committee and has had its fourth hearing. SB178 is in the Senate Health, Human Services, and Aging Committee and has had three hearings.
|
HB 211 – CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR HYGIENISTS
This Bill was self-initiated by the Ohio Dental Hygienists' Association in an effort to increase the continuing education units (CEUs) for dental hygienists and to create a mechanism to temporarily retire a dental hygiene license. House Bill 211 was introduced by its sponsor, Representative John Schlichter early in the 127th General Assembly. The intent is to increase the level of 12 units per two-year license cycle to 24 units per license cycle, consistent with the levels of requirements currently held in other states. Ohio has one of the lowest level s of requirements in this area!
Please be aware that registered dental hygienists have increased the duties we are allowed to perform under our scope of practice with the addition of local anesthesia. With the increase of duties, comes the responsibility of increased knowledge and skills to performing those duties. Patient safety and standard of care are our number one priorities.
House Bill 211 includes a mechanism to temporarily retire a license. The Bill will create a temporary retirement status and procedure to retire and reinstate a license. This part of the bill is to protect hygienists against any actions that could be taken by the Ohio State Dental Board because a hygienist did not have the proper credentials when practicing after taking time off, when he or she believed they fulfilled the requirements by reinstating their license by simply paying their registration fee. Creating a license retirement/reinstatement process will also ensure patient safety because license reinstatement is based on meeting the requested CEU upgraded standard.
Currently, HB211 is in the House Health Committee, and has had one hearing.
|
Make Sure Your Local Anesthesia Class and Test are Board Approved
The law created by House Bill 143, which has given the hygienist in Ohio authority to administer local anesthesia to patients, was signed by the governor on February 10, 2006. As of May 12, 2006 Substitute House Bill 143 has gone into effect. The rules are completed and the registered dental Hygienist in Ohio may administer block and infiltration local anesthesia, BUT ONLY if the class you have taken is approved by the Ohio State Dental Board (OSDB). Also, according to the law, you must have taken a state or regional examination approved by the board within 18 months of taking the course to administer local anesthesia. The NERB is approved. Other examinations may be approved on a case by case basis.
The Ohio State Dental Board has approved many continuing education courses as of the November 8, 2006 meeting. We are working to obtain a list for your information. In the mean time, please refer to the Ohio State Dental Board website which you can access through the licensure page of this website.
Once you have successfully completed the requirements for administering local anesthesia in Ohio which includes; taking a course of at least 15 didactic hours and 14 clinical hours (make sure your course is approved prior to taking it!), passing an approved test within 18 months of taking the class (it is our understanding that the NERB local anesthesia test is about one hundred and twenty five dollars) and finally being licensed to practice in Ohio with current CPR certification then you may administer local anesthesia. There is no certificate that you will be given from the OSDB. For your own protection, keep all documentation that you have fulfilled the statutory requirements to provide this service at your place of practice.
Our legislative team is working extremely hard for the dental hygienists of Ohio! Meetings with important decision makers continue to be held to promote access to dental hygiene care in Ohio and the model of dental hygiene practice. Let's continue to work together to advance the profession! Your support by forging relationships with your own legislators is invaluable. If you would rather just send money you can contribute to the ODHA legal/legislative fund or O-Hy-Pac. Call Katie at central office 1-800-543-3104 or download the most recent ODHA directory from the member's only page of our website for information regarding where to send additional financial support.
FYI: THE LOCAL ANESTHESIA LAW FOR DENTAL HYGIENISTS IN OHIO
Sec. 4715.231. (A) As used in this section, "direct supervision" means a dentist licensed under this chapter is present, for purposes of consultation
Am. Sub. H. B. No. 143 2 and direction, at the location where a dental hygienist performs the administration of local anesthesia to a patient. "Direct supervision" does not mean that the dentist must observe the administration of local anesthesia to a patient.
(B) Under the direct supervision of a dentist, a dental hygienist may administer intraoral block and infiltration local anesthesia to a patient if the dental hygienist is in compliance with division (D) of this section and has done both of the following:
(1) Successfully completed a course in the administration of local anesthesia approved by the board and offered by a dental or dental hygiene program that is accredited by the commission on dental accreditation of the American dental association;
(2) Within eighteen months of completion of the anesthesia course, successfully passed a state or regional written examination on local anesthesia approved by the board.
(C) To be approved by the board, a local anesthesia administration course must contain not less than fifteen hours of didactic instruction and not less than fourteen hours of clinical experience and include instruction on each of the following subjects:
(1) Theory of pain control;
(2) Selection of pain control modalities;
(3) Anatomy;
(4) Neurophysiology;
(5) Pharmacology of local anesthetics;
(6) Pharmacology of vasoconstrictors;
(7) Psychological aspects of pain control;
(8) Systemic complications;
(9) Techniques of maxillary and mandibular anesthesia taught by a dentist or other qualified instructor;
(10) Infection control;
(11) Local anesthesia medical emergencies.
(D) A dental hygienist may administer local anesthesia only if the dental hygienist has obtained current certification to perform basic cardiac life-support procedures as required by section 4715.251 of the Revised Code.
|
|
Oral Health in America
Legislative Contact:
ODHA Legislative Contact: Darla Longstreth
Ohio State Dental Board Liaisons:
Liaison: Denise Bowers
2008 O.S.D.B. Meetings
January 9
February 27
April 23
May 21
July 9
August 13
September 17
November 5
December 3
ODHA representative to the OSDB laws and rules committee
Donna Homenko RDH
Locate Senate and House Representatives for your district:
Ohio House Representatives
Ohio Senators
Health Committee Members/Component/County
These are the members of the Ohio House of Representatives’ Health Committee Members and their phone numbers. Members that wish to call their Representative to voice your opinion about house bills are encouraged to do so.
House Health Committee Breakdown
Chair: John White
Clerk: Stephanie Krider, 466-6504
Partisan Breakdown: 12 Republicans, 11 Democrats
Republican
Chair Rep. John White, 466-6504
Vice Chair Rep. Lynn Wachtmann,
Rep. Bob Mecklenborg 466-8258
Rep. Bruce Goodwin, 644-5091
Rep. Jay Hottinger, 466-1482
Rep. Matt Huffman, 466-9624
Rep. Shannon Jones, 644-6027
Rep. Scott Oelslager, 752-2438
Rep. Jim Raussen, 466-8120
Rep. Carol-Ann Schindel, 644-6074
Rep. Joe Uecker, 466-8134
Rep. Shawn Webster, 644-5094
Democrat
Ranking Minority Member Rep.
Bryan Williams, 644-5085
Rep. Barbara Boyd, 644-5079
Rep. Edna Brown, 466-1401
Rep. Michael DeBose, 466-1408
Rep. Lorraine Fende, 466-7251
Rep. Bob Hagan, 466-9435
Rep. Tom Letson, 466-5358
Rep. Robert Otterman, 644-6037
Rep. Chris Redfern, 644-6011
Rep. Fred Strahorn, 466-2960
Rep. Kenny Yuko, 466-8012
Address:
The Honorable _______________
Ohio House of Representatives
77 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Senate Health, Human Services, and Aging Committee Members.
Senate Health Committee Breakdown 8 Republicans, 4 Democrats
Chairman Kevin Coughlin 614-466-4823
Vice Chairman Randy Gardner 614-466-8060
Steve Buehrer 614-466-8150
David Goodman 614-466-8064
Larry A. Mumper 614-466-8049
Joy Padgett 614-466-8076
J. Kirk Schuring 614-466-8056
Bill Seitz 614-466-8068
Ranking Minority Member
Shirley Smith 614-466-4857
Capri Cafaro 614-466-7182
Dale Miller 614-466-5123
Sue Morano 614-644-7613
Address:
The Honorable _______________
The Statehouse
Columbus, Ohio 43215
|
If you have questions or comments about the content of this site contact
odhaadmin@odha.net
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2007, Ohio Dental Hygienists' Association, Inc.
|
|
|
|
