IDHA (IDHA.net) has submitted a bill to the Illinois Senate regarding collaborative practice. SENATE BILL 2957 will be heard in committee in the next 2 weeks. We MUST contact state senators ASAP and ask them for support. We need everyone's help to get this done. Following you will find a link to determine whether your senator is on the committee. If you are in the senators district, and many of you in western Lake County and McHenry County are, your calls carry greater weight. so your calls are more urgently needed. We need to explain why this is needed, and I encourage you to ask family and friends to call as well.
The link is to the Senate Licensed Activities Committee from the Illinois 97th General Assembly.
Everyone can contact their state senators as well to explain our position. Just call their local office and talk to their staff and explain your points. You do not have to speak to the state senator personally, though it is fine to do so. If you can email that's fine too. Here's the link to find out who your state senator is: WHO IS MY STATE SENATOR?
Here are the "talking points" (our reasons and explanation of the bill.) Stick to these points and keep it simple. You will also find talking points for family and friends to use so encourage them to call too. After you have contacted the state senator please email Kim Benkert with the name of your contact.
Dear SB 2957 supporter (Please read this entire message and print out items for use when calling your legislator):
There are several key points to CLEARLY state WITHOUT getting technical when calling your legislators this week. It is extremely important you stick to the issues: SAFETY and STANDARD Of CARE ALREADY BEING USED
A) IT IS SAFE FOR A DENTAL HYGIENIST TO RECOMMEND AND PRESCRIBE FLUORIDES AND ANTIMICROBIALS. WE ALREADY DO EVERYDAY IN CLINICAL PRACTICE.
B) COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE IS ONLY AN EXTENSION OF WHAT WE ALREADY DO. IT IS NOT ASKING TO EXPAND OUR SCOPE OF PRACTICE;
C) IN ORDER TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THE SAME SERVICES WE ALREADY PROVIDE, IT IS ESSENTIAL WE BE ALLOWED TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN THEIR ORAL HEALTH.
Choose one-three talking points from below to tell your legislator:
1) The use of prescribed antimicrobials by a dental hygienist has been part of the standard of care used in the dental hygiene oral prophylaxis (getting your teeth cleaned) since the 1970's. It is safe to recommend. Dental hygienists are more than adequately educated in their use.
2) Fluoride treatments, that can be dispensed in school-based public health fluoride rinse programs by school teachers and room mothers, are considered to be a prescriptive item. Dental hygienists have been recommending and providing in-office and at home fluoride treatments SAFELY to patients since they were invented. The doctors usually just sign the prescription once the dental hygienist has completed the treatment plan and provided the form for the dentist to sign.
3) Dental hygienists' already use and recommend antimicrobials to patients EVERYDAY in practice under general supervision and without seeking individual approval from the dentist. It is expected that a dental hygienists knows when, how, and how much of an antimicrobial should be used to meet individual patient needs. This education is provided as part of every dental hygiene program in IL and the US.
4) Some antimicrobials currently over the counter were formerly prescriptive items. Some still require a prescription in the US due to strength. The dental hygienist is the one who determines which one is needed based on providing direct patient treatment. The hygienist is the one who makes these recommendations to the doctor. The patient must WAIT until the doctor or the doctor's receptionist calls in the prescription for the treatment planned by the dental hygienist.
5) Fluorides, antimicrobials, and demineralization products are part of the US and international Standards of Care in dental hygiene practice. These are already being safely prescribed by dental hygienists in other states with collaborative practice.
5) There is no report of any patient in IL ever dying from a dental hygienist's use or recommendation of prescribed home fluoride rinses, fluoride pastes, remineralization products, or antimicrobial to kill bacteria that causes periodontal disease and dental decay (caries).
6) Dental Hygienists save lives and eliminate school days lost by reducing the bacterial count in peoples mouths who are at high risk of periodontal disease, have extremely sensitive teeth, or loosing their teeth due to the risk of dental decay.
7) Nurses and Physician Assistants prescribe drugs and medications of much greater significance than fluorides and antimicrobials with an equal or lesser amount of clinical hours of training. Some physician assistant and nursing programs are the same length of clinical training or less than dental hygiene programs. We are NOT asking to prescribe scheduled narcotic drugs or drugs of significance such as a physician assistant or nurse practitioner could do. We are asking for limited prescriptive rights for items already used as a traditional and routine part of dental hygiene care and already used/recommended in everyday clinical practice.
8) Fluoride rinses, fluoride varnishes, fluoride treatments, and dental sealants are prescriptive items since they are not over-the-counter available to the public. Dental assistants, with only a 24 hour continuing education course, are allowed to apply and dispense these in any dental office. They do not even need a license to do this.
CONSUMER TALKING POINTS: If the person calling the legislator is NOT a RDH, please have them focus on SAFETY. They can do the following in their message (choose 1 or 2 points):
1) State they would feel safe with a dental hygienist prescribing fluorides and antimicrobials for them or their family members.
2) They (the consumer) had a dental hygienist recommend a fluoride or antimicrobial to them in the dental office or clinic previously.....and the dentist supported their treatment plan and treatment recommendations.
3) They (or their family member) benefited from the dental hygienist recommending a fluoride or antimicrobial to them; and are grateful their dental hygienist made the determination it was needed and brought it to the dentist's attention to sign the script for it.
4) They feel safe with the recommendations made by their dental hygienist, and feel confident their dental hygienist is educated to make these prescriptive decisions.
5) You can tell as a patient, that dental hygienists are concerned about the safety and oral health of the public they serve.
6) Dental hygienists should be allowed to prescribe antimicrobials. It could save a life by preventing bacteria from getting into the blood stream that can cause damage to the heart.
Please remember when calling your legislator: Be specific - choose 1-3 of the talking points to present.
****At the end of your call: ASK if the legislator WILL SUPPORT SB 2957; ask if the legislator has any questions; please let Christina and me know which legislator(s) you called, who you spoke with, and what was their response.
Thank you in advance of your immediate help!! If you have any questions I am BEST reached by text message or phone call at the number below.
WE CAN ACCOMPLISH GETTING OUR MESSAGE TO LEGISLATORS TOGETHER!!!! PLEASE CALL ASAP.
Kim
Kimberly K. Benkert, RDH, BSDH, MPH, COM
IDHA Legislation Committee
450 Whittier Ave, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
kbenkert@sbcglobal.net
708-309-3844 Phone
630-790-5517 Fax
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Here is what was sent out by ISDS:
Unsupervised hygiene practice bill introduced in the Senate
SB2957
has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Donnie Trotter of
Chicago. If passed, this bill would allow dental hygienists to screen
and assess oral conditions and prescribe antimicrobial solutions while
working under a collaborative agreement that would permit them to
provide dental hygiene services without the patient first being examined
by a licensed dentist.
This bill is going to be heard in the
Licensed Activity Committee within the next two weeks. ISDS needs you
to call your State Senator, who is a member of the Licensed Activity
Committee, the week of February 13th and explain why you are opposed to
this legislation.
Click on the “Take Action” link above for your
Senators contact information and for the talking points you should
emphasize on when you talk to them.
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Thanks in advance to everyone! I know it's short
notice, but that's how things work in Springfield. I am including a
copy of what has been sent to ISDS members (above) so you can better understand
the opposition. They are organized and very motivated. We need to open
up our services to everyone can access them.
Not sure who your State Senator is? Click here to find out!!!
