Senate Engrossed dental board; oral preventive assistants State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025 CHAPTER 17 SENATE BILL 1124 AN ACT Amending title 32, chapter 11, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 32-1291.02; relating to the state board of dental examiners. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Senate Engrossed dental board; oral preventive assistants
State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
CHAPTER 17
SENATE BILL 1124
Senate Engrossed
dental board; oral preventive assistants
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
2025
CHAPTER 17
SENATE BILL 1124
AN ACT
Amending title 32, chapter 11, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 32-1291.02; relating to the state board of dental examiners.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: Section 1. Title 32, chapter 11, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 32-1291.02, to read: START_STATUTE32-1291.02. Oral preventive assistants; qualifications; scope of practice; supervision; definition A. In order to practice as an oral preventive assistant, a dental assistant shall complete a board-approved oral preventive assistant training course that includes at least one hundred twenty hours of didactic and clinical instruction with patients hundred twenty hours of didactic and clinical instruction with patients and that is provided by a qualifying institution. Before taking an oral preventive assistant training course, a dental assistant must meet all of the following: 1. Hold a current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 2. Hold a board-approved certification for both coronal polishing and radiography. 3. Either: (a) Hold a current national board certification in dental assisting. (b) Have successfully completed a dental assisting educational program accredited by a state or national organization that accredits dental programs. 3. Either: (a) Hold a current national board certification in dental assisting. (b) Have successfully completed a dental assisting educational program accredited by a state or national organization that accredits dental programs. B. The scope of practice for an oral preventive assistant is limited to removing plaque,plaque, calculus and stains, with scalers or sonic or ultrasonic scaling devices, on patients who have first received a periodontal evaluation by a dentist or dental hygienist. An Oral preventive assistant may practice only on periodontally healthy patients or patients with localized mild gingivitis. An oral preventive assistant may not use any air polishing technology or device or practice on patients who have been treated for periodontal disease, have generalized recession, are medically compromised or are under sedation. C. An oral preventive assistant who provides coronal calculus removal services pursuant to this section shall both: 1. Inform each patient and document in the patient's clinical record that the patient's care was not provided by a licensed dental provider. 2. Prominently post the oral preventive assistant's certificate of completion of an approved course of instruction at the location where the coronal calculus removal services are performed. D. An oral preventive assistant may practice in this state only under the direct supervision of a dentist or dental hygienist. A dentist may supervise not more than three oral preventive assistants at the same time. A dental hygienist may supervise not more than one oral preventive assistant at any time. A dentist or dental hygienist who allows an oral preventive assistant to perform coronal calculus removal services in violation of this section commits an act of unprofessional conduct. E. For the purposes of this section, "qualifying institution" means an institution of higher education, including a community college, that providesviolation of this section commits an act of unprofessional conduct. E. For the purposes of this section, "qualifying institution" means an institution of higher education, including a community college, that provides a dental or dental hygiene program that is accredited by the commission on dental accreditation, or its successor. END_STATUTE assistant may not use any air polishing technology or devices or practice on patients who have been treated for periodontal disease, have generalized recession, are medically compromised or are under sedation. C. A oral preventive assistant who provides coronal calculus removal services pursuant to this section shall both: 1. Inform each patient and document in the patient's clinical record that the patient's care was not provided by a licensed dental provider. 2. Prominently post the oral preventive assistant's certificate of completion of an approved course of instruction at the location where the coronal calculus removal services are performed. [C.D. An oral preventive assistant may practice in this state only under the direct supervision of a dentist or dental hygienist. A dentist may supervise onlynot more than three or fewer oral preventive assistants at anythe same time.taking and recording periodontal probe readings, documenting areas of periodontal concern and performing supragingival scaling and polishing on patients who have first received a periodontal evaluation by a dentist or dental hygienist. An Oral preventive assistant may practice only on periodontally healthy patients or patients with reversible gingivitis. C. An oral preventive assistant may practice in this state only under the direct supervision of a dentist. A dentist may supervise only three or fewer oral preventive assistants at any time.A dental hygienist may supervise not more than one oral preventive assistant at any time. A dentist or dental hygienist who allows an oral preventive assistant to perform coronal calculus removal services in violation of this section commits an act of unprofessional conduct. Sec. 2. Oral preventive assistants; complaints; report; delayed repeal A. The state board of dental examiners in coordination with a statewide association representing dentists in this state shall collect data regarding the number of oral preventive assistants who are practicing in this state, the location of their practice and the number of complaints that are filed against dentists pertaining to oral preventive assistants. On or before January 1, 2029, the state board of dental examiners shall report this information to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives and shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state. B. This section is repealed from and after June 30, 2029.<<Sec. 2. Oral preventive assistants; complaints; report; delayed repeal A. The state board of dental examiners in coordination with a statewide association representing dentists in this state shall collect data regarding the number of oral preventive assistants who are practicing in this state, the location of their practice and the number of complaints that are filed against dentists pertaining to oral preventive assistants. On or before January 1, 2028, the state board of dental examiners shall report this information to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representative and shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state. B. This section is repealed from and after June 30, 2028.>
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 32, chapter 11, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 32-1291.02, to read:
START_STATUTE32-1291.02. Oral preventive assistants; qualifications; scope of practice; supervision; definition
A. In order to practice as an oral preventive assistant, a dental assistant shall complete a board-approved oral preventive assistant training course that includes at least one hundred twenty hours of didactic and clinical instruction with patients hundred twenty hours of didactic and clinical instruction with patients and that is provided by a qualifying institution. Before taking an oral preventive assistant training course, a dental assistant must meet all of the following:
1. Hold a current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
2. Hold a board-approved certification for both coronal polishing and radiography.
3. Either:
(a) Hold a current national board certification in dental assisting.
(b) Have successfully completed a dental assisting educational program accredited by a state or national organization that accredits dental programs.
3. Either:
(a) Hold a current national board certification in dental assisting.
(b) Have successfully completed a dental assisting educational program accredited by a state or national organization that accredits dental programs.
B. The scope of practice for an oral preventive assistant is limited to removing plaque,plaque, calculus and stains, with scalers or sonic or ultrasonic scaling devices, on patients who have first received a periodontal evaluation by a dentist or dental hygienist. An Oral preventive assistant may practice only on periodontally healthy patients or patients with localized mild gingivitis. An oral preventive assistant may not use any air polishing technology or device or practice on patients who have been treated for periodontal disease, have generalized recession, are medically compromised or are under sedation.
C. An oral preventive assistant who provides coronal calculus removal services pursuant to this section shall both:
1. Inform each patient and document in the patient's clinical record that the patient's care was not provided by a licensed dental provider.
2. Prominently post the oral preventive assistant's certificate of completion of an approved course of instruction at the location where the coronal calculus removal services are performed.
D. An oral preventive assistant may practice in this state only under the direct supervision of a dentist or dental hygienist. A dentist may supervise not more than three oral preventive assistants at the same time. A dental hygienist may supervise not more than one oral preventive assistant at any time. A dentist or dental hygienist who allows an oral preventive assistant to perform coronal calculus removal services in violation of this section commits an act of unprofessional conduct.
E. For the purposes of this section, "qualifying institution" means an institution of higher education, including a community college, that providesviolation of this section commits an act of unprofessional conduct.
E. For the purposes of this section, "qualifying institution" means an institution of higher education, including a community college, that provides a dental or dental hygiene program that is accredited by the commission on dental accreditation, or its successor. END_STATUTE
assistant may not use any air polishing technology or devices or practice on patients who have been treated for periodontal disease, have generalized recession, are medically compromised or are under sedation.
C. A oral preventive assistant who provides coronal calculus removal services pursuant to this section shall both:
1. Inform each patient and document in the patient's clinical record that the patient's care was not provided by a licensed dental provider.
2. Prominently post the oral preventive assistant's certificate of completion of an approved course of instruction at the location where the coronal calculus removal services are performed.
[C.D. An oral preventive assistant may practice in this state only under the direct supervision of a dentist or dental hygienist. A dentist may supervise onlynot more than three or fewer oral preventive assistants at anythe same time.taking and recording periodontal probe readings, documenting areas of periodontal concern and performing supragingival scaling and polishing on patients who have first received a periodontal evaluation by a dentist or dental hygienist. An Oral preventive assistant may practice only on periodontally healthy patients or patients with reversible gingivitis.
C. An oral preventive assistant may practice in this state only under the direct supervision of a dentist. A dentist may supervise only three or fewer oral preventive assistants at any time.A dental hygienist may supervise not more than one oral preventive assistant at any time. A dentist or dental hygienist who allows an oral preventive assistant to perform coronal calculus removal services in violation of this section commits an act of unprofessional conduct.
Sec. 2. Oral preventive assistants; complaints; report; delayed repeal
A. The state board of dental examiners in coordination with a statewide association representing dentists in this state shall collect data regarding the number of oral preventive assistants who are practicing in this state, the location of their practice and the number of complaints that are filed against dentists pertaining to oral preventive assistants. On or before January 1, 2029, the state board of dental examiners shall report this information to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives and shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state.
B. This section is repealed from and after June 30, 2029.<<Sec. 2. Oral preventive assistants; complaints; report; delayed repeal
A. The state board of dental examiners in coordination with a statewide association representing dentists in this state shall collect data regarding the number of oral preventive assistants who are practicing in this state, the location of their practice and the number of complaints that are filed against dentists pertaining to oral preventive assistants. On or before January 1, 2028, the state board of dental examiners shall report this information to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representative and shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state.
B. This section is repealed from and after June 30, 2028.>
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APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR MARCH 31, 2025. FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE MARCH 31, 2025.
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR MARCH 31, 2025.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE MARCH 31, 2025.