HOUSE  .   .   .   .   .   .   .  No. 4842

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, July 9, 2024.                         

The committee on Ways and Means, to whom was referred the Bill relative to dental hygienist reciprocal licensure (House, No. 3880), reports recommending that the same ought to pass with an amendment substituting therefor the accompanying bill (House, No. 4842).

For the committee,

AARON MICHLEWITZ.

FILED ON: 7/9/2024

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4842

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act relative to dental hygienist reciprocal licensure.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

The first paragraph of section 51 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the first sentence, and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- Any person of good moral character, 19 years old or over, may, upon the payment of a fee determined annually by the commissioner of administration and finance pursuant to section 3B of chapter 7, be examined by the board in subjects considered essential for a dental hygienist, and, if their examination is satisfactory, shall be registered as a dental hygienist and be given a certificate allowing them to practice dental hygiene, if they are a: (i) graduate of a school for dental hygienists accredited or recognized as accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Dental and Dental Auxiliary Educational Programs of the American Dental Association requiring a course of not less than 1 academic year and approved by the board; (ii) full time dental student who has satisfactorily completed at least 4 full semesters in an accredited dental college or a graduate from any accredited dental college who has not previously been examined by the board in subjects considered essential by it for a dental hygienist; or (iii) dentist who has been lawfully in practice for not less than 5 years in another country or foreign province who presents to the board a certificate of registration and duration of practice from another country’s board of dental examiners or other like registration entity of such country or foreign province; provided, that such other jurisdictions shall require a degree of competency as determined by the board to be equal to that required of applicants in the commonwealth.