Dental Hygienist Amendments

9
58-69-102
0
Dental Hygienist Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: James A. Dunnigan
Senate Sponsor: Todd Weiler
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions related to dental hygienist practice.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
modifies the definition of public health setting to include a hospital which allows a dental
hygienist to practice in a hospital without general supervision from a dentist.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
58-69-102
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2025, Chapter 255
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section
58-69-102
is amended to read:
58-69-102
. Definitions.
In addition to the definitions in Section
58-1-102
, as used in this chapter:
(1)
"Asynchronous technology" means store-and-forward technology that allows for the
transmission of a patient's health information to a dentist for viewing at a later time.
(2)
"Board" means the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Licensing Board created in Section
58-69-201
.
(3)
"Dental assistant" means an unlicensed individual who engages in supervised acts and
duties as defined by division rule made in collaboration with the board.
(4)
"Dental hygienist" means an individual licensed under this chapter as a dental hygienist.
(5)
"Dentist" means an individual licensed under this chapter as a dentist.
(6)
"Direct supervision" means the supervising dentist is present and available for
face-to-face communication with the person being supervised when and where
professional services are being provided.
(7)
"Expanded function" means a procedure that is authorized under Section
58-69-808
.
(8)
"General supervision" means that the supervising dentist is available for consultation
regarding work the supervising dentist has authorized, without regard as to whether the
supervising dentist is located on the same premises as the person being supervised.
(9)
"Indirect supervision" means that the supervising dentist is present within the facility in
which the person being supervised is providing services and is available to provide
immediate face-to-face communication with the person being supervised.
(10)
"Practice of dental hygiene" means, with respect to humans and subject to Section
58-69-801
:
(a)
performing a preliminary clinical examination of human teeth and gums;
(b)
making preliminary instrumental examination of a patient's periodontium;
(c)
conducting a dental hygiene assessment;
(d)
formulating a dental hygiene treatment plan for a patient, and communicating those
findings and treatment recommendations;
(e)
evaluating a patient's progress towards achieving the goals specified in the dental
hygiene treatment plan;
(f)
modifying a dental hygiene treatment plan based on the ongoing reassessment and in
collaboration with a dentist;
(g)
removing deposits, accumulations, calculus, and concretions from the surfaces of
human teeth;
(h)
removing toxins and debris from subgingival surfaces;
(i)
providing:
(i)
delegated dental hygiene care in accordance with a dentist's treatment plan for a
patient; or
(ii)
dental hygiene care in accordance with a dental hygiene treatment plan;
(j)
representing oneself by any title, degree, or in any other way as being a dental
hygienist;
(k)
administering local anesthesia and nitrous oxide analgesia, only as allowed by
division rule and the supervision requirements described in Section
58-69-801
;
(l)
directing a dental assistant when the supervising dentist is not on the premises;
(m)
exposing and capturing dental radiographs;
(n)
making impressions or intraoral scans of teeth or jaws;
(o)
performing tasks delegated by a dentist in other practices of dental hygiene as
defined by division rule; and
(p)
performing expanded functions in accordance with Section
58-69-808
.
(11)
"Practice of dentistry" means the following, regarding humans:
(a)
to offer, undertake, or represent that a person will undertake by any means or
method, including teledentistry, to:
(i)
examine, evaluate, diagnose, treat, operate, or prescribe therapy for any disease,
pain, injury, deficiency, deformity, or any other condition of the human teeth,
alveolar process, gums, jaws, or adjacent hard and soft tissues and structures in the
maxillofacial region;
(ii)
take an appropriate history and physical consistent with the level of professional
service to be provided and the available resources in the facility in which the
service is to be provided;
(iii)
make impressions, intraoral scans, or registrations;
(iv)
supply artificial teeth as substitutes for natural teeth, including placing veneers;
(v)
remove deposits, accumulations, calculus, and concretions from the surfaces of
teeth;
(vi)
correct or attempt to correct malposition of teeth; and
(vii)
prescribe, deliver, and provide follow-up care for oral appliance therapy,
including as a treatment for sleep-disordered breathing and obstructive sleep
apnea;
(b)
to administer anesthetics necessary or proper in the practice of dentistry, only as
allowed by an anesthesia and analgesia permit obtained from the division;
(c)
to administer and prescribe drugs related to and appropriate in the practice of
dentistry;
(d)
to supervise the practice of a:
(i)
dental hygienist in accordance with Section
58-69-801
; or
(ii)
dental assistant as established by division rule made in collaboration with the
board; or
(e)
to represent oneself by any title, degree, or in any other way that one is a dentist.
(12)
"Public health agency" means a local health department as defined in Section
26A-1-102
or the Department of Health and Human Services.
(13)
"Public health setting" means:
(a)
an individual's residence, if the individual is non-ambulatory;
(b)
a school, as part of a school-based program;
(c)
a nursing home;
(d)
an assisted living or long-term care facility;
(e)
a community health center;
(f)
a hospital;
(f)
(g)
if a dental hygienist is employed by a public health agency, a location directed
by the public health agency;
(g)
(h)
a federally-qualified health center; or
(h)
(i)
a mobile dental health program that employs a dentist who is licensed under this
chapter.
(14)
"Supervising dentist" means a licensed dentist who has agreed to provide supervision
of a dental hygienist or unlicensed individual in accordance with the provisions of this
chapter.
(15)
"Synchronous technology" means two-way audiovisual technology that allows a
licensed dental professional to see and communicate in real time with a patient who is
located in a different physical location.
(16)
"Teledentistry" means the practice of dentistry using synchronous or asynchronous
technology.
(17)
"Unlawful conduct" means the same as that term is defined in Sections
58-1-501
and
58-69-501
.
(18)
"Unprofessional conduct" means the same as that term is defined in Sections
58-1-501

and
58-69-502
and as may be further defined by rule.
Section 2.
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on
May 6, 2026
.
3-4-26 9:14 AM