Connecticut HB 5399: AN ACT CONCERNING DENTISTRY.

Bill Text

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General Assembly  
Substitute Bill No. 5399  
February Session, 2026 
 
 
 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING DENTISTRY.  
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. Section 20-112a of the general statutes is repealed and the 1 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2 
(a) As used in this section: 3 
(1) "Direct  supervision"  means  a  licensed  dentist  has  authorized 4 
certain procedures to be performed on a patient by a dental assistant or 5 
an expanded function dental assistant with such dentist remaining on-6 
site in the dental office or treatment facility while such procedures are 7 
being  performed  by  the  dental  assistant  or  expanded  function  dental 8 
assistant and that, prior to the patient's departure from the dental office, 9 
such  dentist  reviews  and  approves  the  treatment  performed  by  the 10 
dental assistant or expanded function dental assistant; 11 
(2) "Indirect  supervision"  means  a  licensed  dentist  is  in  the  dental 12 
office  or  treatment  facility,  has  personally  diagnosed  the  condition, 13 
planned the treatment, authorized the procedures to be performed and 14 
remains  in  the  dental  office  or  treatment  facility  while  the  procedures 15 
are being performed by the dental assistant or expanded function dental 16 
assistant  and  evaluates  the  performance  of  the  dental  assistant  or 17 
expanded function dental assistant; 18 

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(3) "Dental assistant" means a person who: (A) Has (i) completed on-19 
the-job   training   in   dental   assisting   under   direct   supervision,   (ii) 20 
successfully completed a dental assistant education program accredited 21 
by    the    American    Dental    Association's    Commission    on    Dental 22 
Accreditation,   or   (iii)   successfully   completed   a   dental   assistant 23 
education program that is accredited or recognized by any national or 24 
regional    accrediting    agency    recognized    by    the    United    States 25 
Department of Education; and (B) meets any requirements established 26 
by the Commissioner of Public Health in regulations adopted pursuant 27 
to subsection (f) of this section; 28 
(4) "Expanded  function  dental  assistant"  means  a  dental  assistant 29 
who  has  passed  the  Dental  Assisting  National  Board's  certified  dental 30 
assistant   or   certified   orthodontic   assistant   examination   and   then 31 
successfully  completed:  (A)  An  expanded  function  dental  assistant 32 
program at an institution of higher education that is accredited by the 33 
Commission    on    Dental    Accreditation    of    the    American    Dental 34 
Association that includes (i) educational courses relating to didactic and 35 
laboratory preclinical objectives for skills used by an expanded function 36 
dental assistant and that requires demonstration of such skills prior to 37 
advancing to clinical practice, (ii) not less than four hours of education 38 
in the area of ethics and professional standards for dental professionals, 39 
and  (iii)  a  comprehensive  clinical  examination  administered  by  the 40 
institution of higher education at the conclusion of such program; and 41 
(B)    a    comprehensive    written    examination    concerning    certified 42 
preventive functions and certified restorative functions administered by 43 
the Dental Assisting National Board; and 44 
(5) "Fluoride  varnish  treatment"  means  the  application  of  a  highly 45 
concentrated form of fluoride to the surface of the teeth. 46 
(b) Each expanded function dental assistant shall: (1) Maintain dental 47 
assistant or orthodontic assistant certification from the Dental Assisting 48 
National Board; (2) conspicuously display his or her dental assistant or 49 
orthodontic  assistant  certificate  at  his  or  her  place  of  employment  or 50 
place  where  he  or  she  provides  expanded  function  dental  assistant 51 

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services; (3) maintain professional liability insurance or other indemnity 52 
against liability for professional malpractice in an amount not less than 53 
five hundred thousand dollars for one person, per occurrence, with an 54 
aggregate  liability  of  not  less  than  one  million  five  hundred  thousand 55 
dollars  while  employed  as  an  expanded  function  dental  assistant;  (4) 56 
provide  expanded  function  dental  assistant  services  only  under  direct 57 
or  indirect  supervision;  and  (5)  meet  any  requirements  established  by 58 
the Commissioner of Public Health in regulations adopted pursuant to 59 
subsection (f) of this section. 60 
(c) (1) A licensed dentist may delegate to a dental [assistants] assistant 61 
such  dental  procedures  as  the  dentist  may  deem  advisable,  including: 62 
(A) The taking of dental x