G ove r n men t Re lat ions
Want to learn more about what happens at SBOD meetings?
Log on to PDA’s website at www.padental.org and click on
State Board of Dentistry under the Advocacy tab.
PDHDP Site Locations
In 2015, the General Assembly passed SB 1275, now Act 60 of
2015, granting more authority to the State Board of Dentistry
(SBOD) to expand practice sites to “locations” (rather than
“institutions”) for Public Health Dental Hygienist Practitioners
(PHDHPs). Subsequently, the Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists’
Association (PDHA), requested that the SBOD consider adding
the following practice locations as approved settings:
1) Private settings of hospice and home-bound patients
2) Primary care settings, including pediatric physician offices
3) Childcare settings
PDA expressed opposition to expanding PHDHP site locations,
believing it is inconsistent with the SBOD’s charge to protect
the health and well-being of Pennsylvanians. With the practice
sites currently listed in regulation, the common denominator
is that there are other health care providers on staff to provide
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assistance in case of a medical emergency while the hygienist
is treating patients. That safety net may not exist if PHDHPs
practiced in childcare and private settings of hospice and
homebound patients, the definitions of which are too loosely
defined.
PDA expressed opposition to allowing PHDHPs to practice in
physicians’ offices, stating that the ultimate goal should be to
eliminate barriers so patients seek treatment from dentists in
dental, not physician, offices. PDA also cited its concerns that
physicians are not adequately trained to exam and diagnose the
oral cavity, but that many parents and guardians will be given
the impression that their children received comprehensive oral
health care in physicians’ offices.
Despite PDA’s overall objections to expanding site locations for
PHDHPs, the SBOD voted to draft regulations expanding PDHDP
site locations to include the above. All stakeholders will have
more opportunities to provide comment as the draft regulations
move through the regulatory process.