Connecticut HB 5303: AN ACT CONCERNING TRAINING FOR CERTAIN PLANNING AND ZONING OFFICIALS.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5303
February Session, 2026

AN ACT ALLOWING DENTAL HYGIENISTS TO PROVIDE DENTAL
HYGIENE SERVICES IN PRIVATE RESIDENCES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 20-126l of the general statutes is repealed and the 1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) "General supervision of a licensed dentist" means supervision that 4
authorizes dental hygiene procedures to be performed with the 5
knowledge of said licensed dentist, whether or not the dentist is on the 6
premises when such procedures are being performed; 7
(2) "Public health facility" means an institution, as defined in section 8
19a-490, a community health center, a group home, a school, a preschool 9
operated by a local or regional board of education, a head start program 10
or a program offered or sponsored by the federal Special Supplemental 11
Food Program for Women, Infants and Children, a senior center or a 12
managed residential community, as defined in section 19a-693, a 13
licensed child care center, as described in section 19a-77, or a temporary 14
dental clinic, as defined in section 20-126c; 15
(3) The "practice of dental hygiene" means the performance of 16
educational, preventive and therapeutic services including: Complete 17
prophylaxis; the removal of calcareous deposits, accretions and stains 18

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from the supragingival and subgingival surfaces of the teeth by scaling, 19
root planing and polishing; the application of pit and fissure sealants 20
and topical solutions to exposed portions of the teeth; dental hygiene 21
examinations and the charting of oral conditions; dental hygiene 22
assessment, treatment planning and evaluation; the administration of 23
local anesthesia in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of 24
this section; taking alginate impressions of teeth, under the indirect 25
supervision of a dentist, for use in study models, orthodontic 26
appliances, whitening trays, mouth guards and fabrication of temporary 27
crowns; and collaboration in the implementation of the oral health care 28
regimen; and 29
(4) "Contact hour" means a minimum of fifty minutes of continuing 30
education activity. 31
(b) No person shall engage in the practice of dental hygiene unless 32
such person (1) has a dental hygiene license issued by the Department 33
of Public Health and (A) is practicing under the general supervision of 34
a licensed dentist, or (B) has been practicing as a licensed dental 35
hygienist for at least two years, is practicing in a public health facility or 36
private residence and complies with the requirements of subsection (e) 37
of this section, or (2) has a dental license. 38
(c) A dental hygienist licensed under sections 20-126h to 20-126w, 39
inclusive, shall be known as a "dental hygienist" and no other person 40
shall assume such title or use the abbreviation "R.D.H." or any other 41
words, letters or figures which indicate that the person using such 42
words, letters or figures is a licensed dental hygienist. Any person who 43
employs or permits any other person except a licensed dental hygienist 44
to practice dental hygiene shall be subject to the penalties provided in 45
section 20-126t. 46
(d) A licensed dental hygienist may administer local anesthesia, 47
limited to infiltration and mandibular blocks, under the indirect 48
supervision of a licensed dentist, provided the dental hygienist can 49
demonstrate successful completion of a course of instruction containing 50

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basic and current concepts of local anesthesia and pain control in a 51
program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, or its 52
successor organization, that includes: (1) Twenty hours of didactic 53
training, including, but not limited to, the psychology of pain 54
management; a review of anatomy, physiology, pharmacology of 55
anesthetic agents, emergency precautions and management, and client 56
management; instruction on the safe and effective administration of 57
anesthetic agents; and (2) eight hours of clinical training which includes 58
the direct observation of the performance of procedures. For purposes 59
of this subsection, "indirect supervision" means a licensed dentist 60
authorizes and prescribes the use of local anesthesia for a patient and 61
remains in the dental office or other location where the services are 62
being performed by the dental hygienist. 63
(e) A licensed dental hygienist shall not perform the following dental 64
services: (1) Diagnosis for dental procedures or dental treatment; (2) the 65
cutting or removal of any hard or soft tissue or suturing; (3) the 66
prescribing of drugs or medication which require the written or oral 67
order of a licensed dentist or physician; (4) the administration of 68
parenteral, inhalation or general