CalHyPAC Newsletter  

2017

In This Issue

WHAT IS CalHyPAC?

 

CalHyPAC is the Political Action Committee created by the California Dental Hygienists' Association. 

 

CalHyPAC is a voluntary, non-partisan, political advocacy committee. 

 

CalHyPAC is an essential part of CDHA's  govern-
ment relations program 

 

 

CalHyPAC supports legislators who share the interest, concerns and goals of the

dental hygiene profession.

 

  

 

 

 

Quick Links...

 

 

 DHCC

Join Our Mailing List

 

CalHyPAC

Committee   

 

Heidi Coggan

Frannie Driscoll

Debbie Phillips

Blanca Pareto

Mary Delehanty

Ellen Standley

Beth Wilson

Trish Thomas

 

 Dear California Dental Hygienists,

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CALIFORNIA 

capitol- sacramento


 

CDHA's Legislative Day was a great success! 

28 hygienists from all over the state visited at least 33 legislators to inform them:


 
 

1. Dental Hygienists are an educated health care workforce which could be utilized more to address California's needs in more health care settings, under less supervision.

2. Dental hygienists specialize in preventive oral health care services, in particular periodontal disease treatment and prevention, which improves overall health thereby lowering health care costs for both patients and the state. 

3. Denti-Cal changed its policies in 2016 for approval of periodontal disease treatment and maintenance, as well as slashing reimbursement rates, resulting in denied oral health care for patients and the loss of Denti-Cal RDHAP providers.

 

Senator Anthony Canella was presented with the CDHA Legislator of the Year Award for his commitment to a healthier California, improving access to dental hygiene care, and his work to hold Denti-Cal accountable.
 

Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)

  • CDHA continues to advocate for the inclusion of CDHA and dental hygienist advisors to DHCS
  • The CDHA Government Relations Council (GRC) and Alternative Practice Council (APC) developed a Position Paper on recent DHCS actions. CLICK HERE
  • Aaron Read & Associates (ARA) also developed a press release and Call to Action.CLICK HERE  
Labor Laws and Employee Rights
  • The Labor Commissioner as well as the National Labor Relations Board provide free speakers to groups. (CLICK HERE)
  • GRC has arranged for a Labor Commissioner lawyer to present at HOD in San Diego
Dental Hygiene Committee of California
  • DHCC has corrected DHCS' misconception that caries risk assessment is not in the DH scope of practice and CDHA is working to have Department of Health Care Services accept and reimburse hygienists as providers of the assessment. 
  • Interim Therapeutic Restorations (2015- AB 1174)-initial regulatory language is being drafted in collaborations with DBC

Dental Board of California

  • Pre-approval for Mandatory CE courses-Infection control and CA Law courses are to be pre-approved by DBC, in addition to having CE provider approval.
  • It is the licensee's responsibility to ensure the classes they take meet all necessary CE qualifications.
  • Suspension of RDA Practical Examination effective until July 1, 2017 at which time it will be reinstated. Applicants who have not taken or have not successfully passed the exam, but meet all other requirements, will be licensed.

 

WHAT'S HAPPENING NATIONALLY
 us capitol

   


 

Bills into Law  

  • Florida- Senate Bill 580 authorizes reimbursement to health access settings for children's dental services provided by licensed dental hygienists.
  • Illinois- House Bill 5948 reduces additional course work for public health dental hygienists from 72 to 20 hours. It also allows a public health dental hygienist to treat patients without a dentist first examining the patient and being present in the facility during treatment.
  • Maryland- House Bill 470 authorizes, subject to requirements, dental hygienists to administer nitrous oxide to patients under the supervision of a dentist who is physically present on the premises and who has prescribed the administration of nitrous oxide. 
  • Missouri-Senate Bill 579 specifies the licensed individuals who shall be considered eligible health care providers for the provision of telehealth services.
  • South Dakota-House Bill 1104 allows a dental hygienist to continue providing services after 13 months, as long as the patient receives an "oral health review."
  • Tennessee-Senate Bill 1214 authorizes the practice of "teledentistry."
  • Utah-Senate Bill 147 makes technical changes clarifying that dental hygienists working with a collaborating dentist are able to perform services remotely in a homebound patient's residence, a school, an nursing home, and assisted living facility, a community health center, a federally qualified health centare and a mobile dental health program that employs a DDS.
  • Virginia-Senate Bill 712 expanded the Remote Supervision Public Health Model for the dental hygienist employed outside of Virginia Health Department.  

  


 

            Recent Legislation 

bills we are watching clip art

 Aaron Read & Associates is tracking 20 bills for CDHA as of April 7, 2017.

 Legislation supported by CDHA include:

SCR 19 (Nguyen) Periodontal Awareness Month-cosponsored by CDHA and California Society of Periodontists passed without opposition and establishes March as Periodontal Awareness Month in California.

Assembly Bill (AB) 15 (Maienschein) Denti-Cal Program-would double Denti-Cal reimbursement rates for 15 most common prevention, treatment, and oral evaluation services, based on average rates established in fiscal 2-15-16, effective January 1, 2018. The funding comes from the Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016.   

AB 753(Caballero); Denti-Cal improved access. 

Senate Bill (SB) 300 (Morning) Sugar sweetened beverage health warnings -would require health warning labels on sugar sweetened beverages.

SB 379 (Atkins) Pupil Health- would facilitate and improve kindergarten oral health data collection.

SB 707(Canella) Medi-Cal: Denti-Cal Advisory Group

Legislation opposed by CDHA:

AB 387 (Thurmond) Minimum Wage-mandates minimum wage for allied health care" interns" and defines "employer" in a manner that would negatively impact many allied health programs including dental hygiene.

To read more about these bills, go to 
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov  

Now is a good time to visit your legislator in his/her local office, introduce yourself as an RDH or RDHAP serving in his/her constituent and indicate your desire to help with healthcare issues, access, etc. Talking points available in the Members Section of CDHA.org.
    


CalHyPAC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT- BLANCA PARETO

     Meet Blanca Pareto RDH, a CalHyPAC Director.

In 1997, she graduated as a Dental Assistant at Bryman College of San Francisco and began her career in dentistry. She continued her education earning her RDAEF in 2003 and finally achieved her RDH dream by attending Fresno city college from 2007-2009.

As a student, she attended the CDHA Student Regional Conference. There she met fellow dental hygienists whose energy and enthusiasm motivated her to become a part of CDHA and she stayed connected as a student. 

In 2011, she joined CDHA and attended her first local component meeting with the San Francisco Dental Hygiene Society. Since joining she has held the position of Secretary and component Trustee, and President of SFDHS! 

Blanca is a strong supporter of CDHA. Through her connections at the state and local levels, she has had the opportunity to meet other members and learn what they are doing at a component level, and to keep abreast of legislation affecting our profession while participating directly in decisions that will help expand our profession. 

In 2013, she was appointed as a Director of CalHyPAC and has been serving ever since. She feels that strong support for CalHyPAC allows our profession to move forward and provide care in new and different settings for the people of California, and she is a strong leader in that endeavor. 
  
     
     


  ADVOCACY   

 

     Advocacy is an important component in any organization and for its members to make legislators aware of their positions on policy issues.  As a licensed profession governed by state practice acts and rules, dental hygiene is directly impacted by many policy issues that shape day-to-day dental hygiene practice and the delivery of oral health care services.  

     Issues requiring advocacy in California are: scope of practice, access to care, continuing education and reimbursement under Dent-Cal. Your involvement as a dental hygiene professional is critical to the success of any advocacy effort! Below are CalHyPAC members working hard for our members. 

Read about the power of CDHA advocacy.CLICK HERE

    
Debbie Phillips, Blanca Pareto, Frannie Driscoll
   
Legislative day
CDHA Dental Hygienists- Legislation Day 2017
CDHA'S LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY FIRM IS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN CALIFORNIA

Aaron Read

Aaron Read, legislative advocate

          The California Dental Hygienists' Association has retained the legislative advocacy  firm of Aaron Read and Associates since 1984 to help us work with legislative leaders, state agencies, the Dental Hygiene Committee of California ( DHCC ) and other associations.     
            Together we promote state policies encouraging increased availability of oral health care, to improve laws and regulations that protect the public's oral health and enhance the  practice of dental hygiene.  CDHA's executive officers, the Government Relations Council (GRC) and the
CalHyPAC committee work closely with
legislative advocates Mr. Aaron Read, Mr. Terry McHale, and Ms. Jennifer Tannehill

 

 YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE !

 

Want to help CDHA be successful in having a strong voice in Sacramento about the issues we care about?

  • You can donate money to CalHyPAC  We welcome donations from members, friends, potential members, and non-members.
  • You can write letters to your legislators about legislation affecting dental hygiene.
  • JOIN YOUR PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION. Legislative victories are made possible through the involvement of members like yourself and CDHA's multifaceted public policy initiatives. You are essential to the success of CDHA'S legislative and political advocacy. 

WANT TO DONATE?

 

Send checks payable to CalHyPAC

c/o 

Debrah Phillips

182 Cameo Drive

Danville, CA 94526

Fair Political Practice Act requires that you include your name, address, occupation and name of employer on your check. Your contributions are not deductible for state or federal income tax purposes.

 

QUESTIONS?

 

EMAIL : calhypac@gmail.com