Bill would allow hygienists to provide on-site services

Dental hygienists would be allowed to provide certain services to adults in health care facilities under a bill heard by the Health and Human Services Committee Feb. 1.

LB484, introduced by Wilber Sen. Russ Karpisek, would allow a licensed dental hygienist with 3,000 hours of clinical experience to provide services to adults in a health care facility. Those service would include:
• oral prophylaxis;
• pulp vitality testing; and
• preventive measures, including the application of fluorides, sealants and other recognized topical agents for oral disease prevention.

“The bill will broaden and extend badly needed dental care to thousands of Nebraskans who do not receive it on a regular basis, and would do so through a modest resource and an efficient cost,” Karpisek said.

Jane Broekemeier, a member of the Nebraska Dental Hygienists’ Association, testified in support of the bill. Studies have shown that maintaining a nursing home patient’s oral hygiene can prevent them from aspirating, she said, which could reduce resident hospital admissions.

Deb Schardt, a dental hygienist in Hastings, testified in support of the bill, saying there are 830,000 emergency room visits nationwide that result from dental problems. Lack of access to health care is a critical issue and dental hygienists must play a vital role in the solution to such disparities, she said.

No one testified in opposition and the committee took no immediate action on the bill.