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BILL # SB 1377 |
TITLE: dental therapy; licensure; regulation |
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SPONSOR: Barto |
STATUS: As Amended by Senate HHS |
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PREPARED BY: Morgan Dorcheus |
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The bill would require the Board of Dental Examiners to license and regulate dental therapists in Arizona.
Estimated Impact
The bill would increase costs to the Board of Dental Examiners for regulating the profession. Based on the number of dental therapists in other states, those increased costs are anticipated to be small on an ongoing basis. The cost of regulation would be funded by licensure fees.
The Board of Dental Examiners reports that the bill would increase its costs for staff time and reprogramming its existing database to accommodate the new licensees, but did not provide a specific figure.
The Board of Dental Examiners currently regulates dentists, denturists, and dental hygienists. Fees collected from applications for licensure of these professions are deposited using the 90/10 structure, where 90% of fees are retained by the board and 10% are deposited to the General Fund. The bill would allow the board to establish fees for the licensing and regulation of dental therapists, which would be collected using the same fee structure. The JLBC Staff assumes that the board would collect fees sufficient to regulate the profession.
The board reports there were 4,714 active dentist licenses in Arizona in FY 2017. Minnesota was the first state to license dental therapists beginning in 2009. The Minnesota Board of Dentistry reports a similar dental market to Arizona, with 4,017 active dentist licenses and 80 active dental therapy licenses. The JLBC Staff cannot predict how many dental therapists would be licensed in Arizona, therefore, the cost of regulating the profession cannot be determined in advance. However, based on the small number of dental therapists licensed in Minnesota, the number that would be licensed in Arizona is anticipated to be small.
It is unknown what impact the bill would have on costs associated with dental services for Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) enrollees. To the extent that existing services could be reimbursed at a lower rate when provided by a dental therapist, the bill may reduce AHCCCS expenditures for dental services. To the extent that licensed dental therapists increase the utilization of dental services in the state, the bill may increase AHCCCS expenditures. The net impact of the bill cannot be determined in advance. AHCCCS is not able to provide a fiscal impact estimate at this time.
For similar reasons, the bill may also change expenditures related to Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) health plan expenses. Since most costs for dental services are paid by state employees and not ADOA, any changes would likely affect state employees rather than ADOA. The net impact cannot be determined in advance.
Local Government Impact
The bill may also change expenditures related to local governments' health plan expenses. The net impact cannot be determined in advance.
2/9/18