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SB1926 • 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
Massey, Hill
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact methods of distribution for electronic formats beyond stating they may be provided electronically.

Dental Report Sharing Act

This bill allows dental boards to provide their yearly reports electronically.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes Tennessee laws about dental professions.
  • Allows the board of dentistry to give out copies of its annual report in electronic form.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The board of dentistry in Tennessee
  • People who want to read the dental board's yearly report

Terms To Know

annual report
A yearly summary that shows what a group or organization has done.
electronic format
Information sent as digital files, like emails or PDFs.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how often reports must be shared electronically.
  • It is unclear if there are any costs associated with sending these electronic copies.

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: 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 patient data, and provide prophylaxis before a dentist sees the patient.
  • Dental hygienists are given limited prescriptive authority to prescribe fluoride agents, topical oral anesthetics, silver diamine fluoride, curodont, sealants, and desiccation therapy.
  • The board will set educational and training requirements for dental hygienists to use their new prescriptive authority.
  • Some parts of the amendment are technical and may be hard to understand without additional context.
Amendment 2-0 to SB1926

Plain English: The amendment changes the effective date from July 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027 for a provision in Senate Bill No. 1926.

  • Changes the effective date of a specific section in SB1926 from July 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027.
  • The amendment text does not provide details about which provision or what changes are being made other than altering the effective date.
Amendment 3-0 to SB1926

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee law to allow dental hygienists to perform certain tasks before a dentist sees a patient, either new or existing.

  • Allows dental hygienists working under direct supervision for new patients and general supervision for existing patients to complete diagnostic radiographs.
  • Permits dental hygienists to assess and record hard and soft tissue data before the dentist sees the patient.
  • Enables dental hygienists to perform prophylaxis (cleaning) before a dentist's visit.
  • Authorizes dental hygienists to apply fluoride agents before the dentist examines the patient.
  • The amendment text does not specify how these changes will be implemented or regulated in practice.

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

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

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

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

  6. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  9. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

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

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  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

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

  22. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  23. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  24. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  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 
HOUSE BILL 1991
By Hill

SENATE BILL 1926
By Massey
SB1926
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.