Advocacy News

Oregon Board of Dentistry

On August 24, 2020, the Oregon Board of Dentistry adopted rule changes that will require clinical board examinations that are accepted for dental and dental hygiene licensure in Oregon to include a psychomotor skills component that uses a typodont mounted in a manikin or a live patient. The Board adopted these rule changes in spite of the overwhelming opposition that they received.

Although this is a disappointing outcome, these rule changes will not go into effect until January 1, 2021 so they should have no impact on dental and dental hygiene students who graduate in 2020. The ODHA will continue to work with the ODA and our other partners to move Oregon away from psychomotor skills testing for clinical board examinations that are accepted for dental and dental hygiene licensure in Oregon. Thank You to everyone who submitted comments to the Oregon Board of Dentistry in opposition to these rule changes.

2020 Oregon Legislative Session

ODHA supported the following dental-related bills during the 2020 Oregon Legislative Session:

• Senate Bill 1549 did not move out of the Senate Health Committee. This bill would have created a licensed dental therapist for Oregon. The committee members expressed support for the concept of a dental therapist, but they had many questions about the bill related to educational requirements and scope of practice. Committee Chair Laurie Monnes Anderson is putting together a work group that will clarify these issues and recommend changes to the bill for the 2021 Oregon Legislative Session.
  
  
• Senate Bill 1550 

  did not pass. This bill would have allowed expanded practice dental hygienists to perform interim therapeutic restorations (ITR) per an agreement with a licensed dentist. This bill is based on Dental Pilot Project #200 where EPPs are providing IRT for children in schools who do not otherwise have access to dental care. The Senate passed this bill unanimously, but it was still waiting for a floor vote in the House of Representatives when the legislative session ended. This bill will likely be introduced again for the 2021 Oregon Legislative Session.