The American Dental Hygienists’ Association has expressed its opposition to a section of a bill in Nevada that creates an alternative license pathway.
Sections 77-79 of Nevada Senate Bill 495 would allow individuals to receive a dental hygiene license without completing a dental hygiene program that is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, according to a July 31 news release from the ADHA.
Under the bill, individuals would have to complete an approved training course under the supervision of a licensed dentist, and then take a dentist-conducted competency exam, a written exam and a clinical exam. The exams would not be subject to approval from the American Dental Association.
Provisional dental hygiene licenses could be issued before the exam requirements are fulfilled. The new pathway would expand the practice settings and prescribing authority for individuals trained through the new model.
The ADHA is concerned that the licensure changes could lead to inconsistent care and insufficient oversight. The organization is working to have the sections of the bill removed, the release said.
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