SB95: Bill Text

LRB-1067/1

CTS:wlj:rs

2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE

2005 Senate BILL 95

March 2, 2005 - Introduced by Senators Roessler, Kapanke, S. Fitzgerald, Harsdorf, Olsen and Kanavas, cosponsored by Representatives Gielow, Freese, Albers, Ainsworth, Hundertmark, Kreibich, Jeskewitz, Lehman, Ott, Hines, Loeffelholz, Petrowski, Rhoades and Townsend. Referred to Committee on Health, Children, Families, Aging and Long Term Care.

SB95,1,3 An Act to amend 440.08 (2) (a) 25. and 447.05; and to create 440.08 (5) and 447.055 of the statutes; relating to: continuing education for dental hygienists.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, dental hygienists licensed by the Dentistry Examining Board (board) must apply to renew their licenses every two years. This bill prohibits the board from renewing a license unless a dental hygienist attests that he or she has complied with continuing education requirements created by the bill. In addition, when applying for renewal, a dental hygienist must attest that he or she has a current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Regarding continuing education, the bill requires an applicant for renewal to attest that he or she has taught, prepared, attended, or otherwise completed, during the preceding two years, 20 credit hours of continuing education, including training in basic life support, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and infection control. This requirement does not apply the first time that a person applies to renew a license, but applies each time thereafter. The required hours may be satisfied by independent study, correspondence, or Internet courses or programs. Not more than two of the required 20 hours may be satisfied by training in basic life support or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and not less than two hours must be satisfied by training in infection control. In addition, an applicant for renewal may substitute uncompensated hours of voluntary activities related to dental hygiene for not more than eight hours. The board may, on a random basis or another basis determined by the board, require proof of compliance with the continuing education requirements.

The bill increases the renewal fee for dental hygienists from $57 to $69. Under the bill, the Department of Regulation and Licensing and the board must use not less than 17 percent of the renewal fees collected from dental hygienists in a biennium for the purpose of determining whether renewal applicants have complied with the continuing education requirements.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB95, s. 1 Section 1. 440.08 (2) (a) 25. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB95,2,3 440.08 (2) (a) 25. Dental hygienist: October 1 of each odd-numbered year; $57 $69.

SB95, s. 2 Section 2. 440.08 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

SB95,2,9 440.08 (5) Dental hygienist continuing education. In each fiscal biennium, the department and the dentistry examining board shall use not less than 17 percent of the renewal fees specified in sub. (2) (a) 25. that are collected in that biennium for the purpose of determining the compliance of renewal applicants with the requirements of s. 447.055.

SB95, s. 3 Section 3. 447.05 of the statutes is amended to read:

SB95,2,17 447.05 Expiration and renewal. Renewal applications shall be submitted to the department on a form provided by the department on or before the applicable renewal date specified under s. 440.08 (2) (a) and shall include the applicable renewal fee specified under s. 440.08 (2) (a). The examining board may not renew a license to practice dental hygiene unless the applicant for renewal attests that he or she has complied with s. 447.055 and that he or she has a current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

SB95, s. 4 Section 4. 447.055 of the statutes is created to read:

SB95,3,8 447.055 Continuing education. (1) Except as provided in subs. (3) and (4), a person is not eligible for renewal of a license to practice dental hygiene unless he or she has taught, prepared, attended, or otherwise completed, during the 2-year period immediately preceding the renewal date specified under s. 440.08 (2) (a), 20 credit hours of continuing education related to the practice of dental hygiene that are sponsored or recognized by a local, state, regional, national, or international dental, dental hygiene, dental assisting, or medical-related professional organization, including training in all of the following:

SB95,3,10 (a) Basic life support or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Not more than 2 of the credit hours required under this subsection may be satisfied by such training.

SB95,3,12 (b) Infection control. Not less than 2 of the credit hours required under this subsection must be satisfied by such training.

SB95,3,14 (2) The credit hours required under sub. (1) may be satisfied by independent study, correspondence, or Internet programs or courses.

SB95,3,17 (3) Subsection (1) does not apply to an applicant for renewal of a license that expires on the first renewal date after the date on which the examining board initially granted the license.

SB95,3,21 (4) (a) A person may substitute uncompensated hours of voluntary activities related to the practice of dental hygiene for not more than 8 of the credit hours required under sub. (1). For purposes of this paragraph, one hour of voluntary activities is equivalent to one credit hour of continuing education.

SB95,3,25 (b) A person may substitute credit hours of college level courses related to the practice of dental hygiene for the credit hours required under sub. (1). For purposes of this paragraph, one credit hour of a college level course is equivalent to 6 credit hours of continuing education.

SB95,4,3 (5) A person who teaches or prepares a continuing education program more than once during a 2-year period may use that program only once during that 2-year period to satisfy the credit hours required under sub. (1).

SB95,4,6 (6) The examining board may require, on a random or other basis determined by the examining board, applicants for renewal of a license to practice dental hygiene to submit proof of compliance with the requirements of this section.

SB95, s. 5 Section 5. Effective date.

SB95,4,9 (1) This act takes effect on November 1, 2005, or on the day after publication, whichever is later.

SB95,4,10 (End)