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Bill would remove extra radiography license fee for expanded-function dental assistants
Summary
A Maine lawmaker told the Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services that LD 806 would eliminate a separate dental radiography license fee for expanded-function dental assistants, clarifying that it does not change scope of practice.
Sen. Donna Bailey, chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services, opened a public hearing on LD 806, a bill introduced by Rep. Anne Marie Mastracchio that would remove the requirement for expanded-function dental assistants to hold a separate dental radiography license and pay an additional fee.
Rep. Mastracchio, who represents House District 142, told the committee that expanded-function dental assistants (EFTAs) are already permitted to take dental radiographs by virtue of their certification and licensure and that LD 806 “is designed to remove the necessity of paying an additional fee to the Board of Licensure for the Dental Radiography Authority.” She added, “Were making people pay an extra $200 for something that they dont need to pay for.”
Mastracchio said the bill does not change the scope of practice for EFTAs; rather, it recognizes and aligns licensure fees with the procedures they are already authorized to perform. She told the committee the Board of Dental Practices executive director, Penny Valancourt, submitted a letter included in committee materials indicating the board is "fine with" the change and flagged that the separate radiography license requirement effectively charged practitioners twice.
The committee did not have questions during the initial introduction and Mastracchio closed by offering to answer questions from members. Sen. Bailey proceeded to open the public hearing portion of the agenda. No vote or committee action on the bill was recorded in the transcript excerpt.
Next steps for LD 806 were not specified in the excerpt; the public hearing was opened, and committee consideration will follow the hearing and any testimony submitted.
