April 22, 2010
On Wednesday, April 21, the state board of dental examiners (SBDE) met for its regular, quarterly meeting. A new member, Dr. Paulette Porzio-Dilizia, a general dentist from Comfort Dental in Golden, was appointed to the state board.
There were no rulemaking hearings at the April meeting, but two have been slated for July. In July, the state board will consider technical fixes to the anesthesia rule, as well as competency standards for those transferring or reinstating licenses as authorized by HB 1175 passed earlier this legislative session.
The state board offered an update on applications for the new anesthesia permits. The permit applications are expected to be available by mid-May. In the meantime, the state board is extending a grace period to dentists whose anesthesia licenses are up for renewal and encouraging dentists to become familiar with the new rules. The state board also clarified that a permit previously required for administration of nitrous oxide by dental hygienists has been eliminated under the new rule. The supervising dentist is now responsible ensuring that any personnel who administer nitrous oxide have appropriate training. No additional permits are required.
The state board discussed future policymaking activity on teeth whitening, distance learning/online CE standards and standards related to accepted board examinations (like CRDTS, WREB, etc.). The state board will be offering an educational session at the CDA’s annual meeting in June, and several board members will attend. The state board also heard a presentation from peer assistance services and was interested in improving outreach to rural dentists.
Thanks to Dr. Jack Allen, who regularly attends the Board meetings on the CDA’s behalf to provide a dentist’s insight on these important topics.
