Assigned to HHS FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2473
dental hygienists; scope of practice
Purpose
Expands the scope of practice of dental hygienists to include dental hygiene assessment
and dental hygiene treatment planning.
Background
A person is deemed a practicing dental hygienist if the person performs any of the
operations or acts included in the general practice of dental hygienists, dental hygiene and all
related and associated duties, including: 1) prophylaxis, scaling, closed subgingival curettage and
root planing; 2) administering local anesthetics and nitrous oxide; 3) inspecting the oral cavity and
surrounding structures to gather clinical data to facilitate a diagnosis; 4) periodontal screening or
assessment; 5) recording clinical findings; 6) compiling case histories; 7) exposing and processing
dental radiographs; 8) restorative functions permissible for expanded function dental assistants;
9) placing interim therapeutic restorations, after completing an accredited course; and 10) all
functions authorized and deemed appropriate for dental assistants (A.R.S. ยง 32-1281).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows a licensed dental hygienist to perform a dental hygiene assessment and dental hygiene
treatment planning as components of a dentist-developed diagnosis and treatment plan.
2. Defines dental hygiene assessment as identifying an existing or potential oral health problem
that dental hygienists are educationally qualified and licensed to treat.
3. Defines dental hygiene treatment planning as performing a prioritized sequence of dental
hygiene interventions that is predicated on the dental hygiene assessment and that is limited to
those services included in the scope of practice for dental hygienists.
4. Makes conforming changes.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
HHS 1/23/23 DP 9-0-0-0
3
rd
Read 2/21/23 59-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 3, 2023
MM/MC/slp