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HB1991 • 2026

Dentists and Dentistry

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and Title 63, Chapter 5, relative to dental professions.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Hill, Massey
Last action
2026-04-01
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on the frequency of electronic report distribution or specify which interested parties will receive them.

Dental Report Sharing Act

This bill allows copies of the board of dentistry's annual report to be provided in electronic format.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes Tennessee's laws to allow the board of dentistry to send its annual reports electronically.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The board of dentistry in Tennessee
  • Interested parties who receive copies of the board's annual report

Terms To Know

annual report
A yearly summary that shows what a group or organization has done.
electronic format
Information sent through email, downloaded from the internet, or stored on a computer.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how often reports must be shared electronically.
  • It is unclear which specific interested parties will receive electronic copies of the report.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB1991

Plain English: The amendment allows dental hygienists to perform certain tasks under direct supervision of dentists and gives them limited prescriptive authority for specific dental products.

  • Dental hygienists can now complete diagnostic radiographs, assess tissue data, perform prophylaxis, and apply fluoride agents before a dentist sees the patient.
  • The amendment grants dental hygienists the ability to prescribe certain non-controlled substances like fluoride agents, topical oral anesthetics, silver diamine fluoride, curodont, sealants, and desiccation therapy.
  • A new training course for placing silver diamine fluoride will be required by rules set by the board.
  • The exact educational and training requirements for dental hygienists to exercise prescriptive authority are not detailed in this amendment and will be determined later by the board through rule-making.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1926

Plain English: This amendment allows dental hygienists to perform certain tasks under a dentist's supervision and gives them limited prescriptive authority for specific dental products.

  • Dental hygienists can now complete diagnostic radiographs, assess patient data, and provide prophylaxis and fluoride treatments before the dentist sees the patient.
  • The amendment grants dental hygienists the ability to prescribe certain non-controlled substances like fluoride agents, topical oral anesthetics, silver diamine fluoride, curodont, sealants, and desiccation therapy.
  • It also requires the board to establish educational and training requirements for dental hygienists to use prescriptive authority, including a specific course on placing silver diamine fluoride.
  • The exact rules and regulations that will be established by the board are not detailed in this amendment text.
Amendment 2-0 to SB1926

Plain English: The amendment changes the effective date from July 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027.

  • Changes the effective date of a provision in SECTION 4 from July 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027.
  • The amendment text does not provide details about what specific provision is being delayed or why.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2026

  2. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 1

  4. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  5. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/31/2026

  6. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Health Committee

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 4/1/2026

  8. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/25/2026

  9. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Health Subcommittee to 3/25/2026

  10. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  11. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/18/2026

  12. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Health and Welfare Committee to 3/18/2026

  13. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Health Subcommittee to 3/18/2026

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  17. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  18. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee

  19. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Health Committee

  20. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  21. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  22. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  23. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  24. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  25. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1926
By Massey

HOUSE BILL 1991
By Hill
HB1991
011479
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and
Title 63, Chapter 5, relative to dental professions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-5-106, is amended by adding the
following to the end of the section:
Copies of the annual report may be provided in electronic format.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.