OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. David Smith, R-Arpelar, on Tuesday secured House passage of a bill that would increase the services dental assistants and hygienists are allowed to perform for patients.

House Bill 3934 also would expand the list of recognized accrediting agencies. 

"We're attempting to fill some gaps throughout all of Oklahoma where people lack access to dentists and hygienists," Smith said. "If this bill is signed into law, it would mean people could get necessary dental care where they are instead of traveling long distances or suffering without treatment."

Smith explained the bill was put together with the help of the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry, the Oklahoma Dental Hygiene Association and the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry.

Among other changes, the measure would remove language that would permit a dental assistant to assist the dentist only under the direct supervision or direct visual supervision and control of the dentist. A dental assistant instead would be allowed to work under general supervision of a dentist to assist a dental hygienist with a procedures that the hygienist is allowed to perform under general supervision.

The measure also seeks to update the definition of treatment facility to include a church with a non-profit clinic. In addition, the measure would allow a patient of record to be established by teledentistry for emergency or hygiene treatment if the patient is physically located at the office or facility and the dentist is not readily available.

The bill passed the House on a vote of 94-1 and now advances to the State Senate where it is authored by Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington.