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Senate adopts bill expanding dental hygienists' scope to boost preventive care
Summary
The Senate passed SB 2-83 with an amendment to give the Board time to adopt regulations, allowing dental hygienists to provide preventive services—such as cleanings and sealants—without a prior dental exam to improve access in underserved areas.
Senate Bill 2-83, a measure to expand the scope of practice for dental hygienists, passed the Senate after amendment on May 6.
Sponsor Senator Pinkney said the bill is intended to treat oral health as part of overall health and to ease access gaps in rural and underserved communities: "Oral health is directly connected to heart disease, diabetes, pregnancy outcome and overall quality of life," Pinkney said, arguing that allowing hygienists to provide preventive services without an immediate dentist exam will bring care closer to communities that need it.
The Senate adopted Senate Amendment 1, which gives the Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene time to promulgate implementing regulations. The sponsor described the amendment as procedural: it "just gives the board time to promulgate regulations," and asked for a roll call on the amendment. The amendment passed on roll call (20 yes, 1 absent) and the amended bill later passed the Senate by voice vote with the required majority.
Supporters said the bill maintains structured supervision, referral and follow-up requirements while allowing hygienists to provide preventive services in schools, community settings and local clinics. "This is how we expand access without lowering standards," Pinkney said.
Opponents did not press a floor debate on technical safety details during the floor remarks; the sponsor noted the bill aligns practice in Delaware with approaches used in other states and stressed Board oversight.
The bill was declared passed to the next step in the legislative process.
What’s next: The amendment directs the Board to adopt regulations to implement the expanded scope; the sponsor said those rules will define supervision, referral timelines and other safeguards.
