Georgia Code
Article 3 - Dental Hygienists
§ 43-11-74. Direct Supervision Required; Scope of Duties; Exceptions to Required Supervision for Dental Screenings

The licensed dental hygienist shall make all reasonable efforts to provide such written notice to parents or legal guardians of minors or incapacitated adults who receive dental hygiene services and to the long-term care facility or nursing home for residents of such facilities who receive dental hygiene services.
History. Ga. L. 1927, p. 250, § 5; Code 1933, § 84-1009; Ga. L. 1949, p. 1192, § 4; Code 1933, § 84-728, enacted by Ga. L. 1976, p. 484, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 828, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 932, § 8; Ga. L. 2001, p. 787, § 1; Ga. L. 2002, p. 415, § 43; Ga. L. 2009, p. 453, § 1-4/HB 228; Ga. L. 2011, p. 705, § 6-3/HB 214; Ga. L. 2017, p. 401, § 2/HB 154; Ga. L. 2018, p. 1112, § 43/SB 365.
The 2017 amendment, effective January 1, 2018, rewrote this Code section.
The 2018 amendment, effective May 8, 2018, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, substituted “12 month intervals” for “twelve-month intervals” in subparagraph (g)(2)(B).
Editor’s notes.
Ga. L. 2017, p. 401, § 1/HB 154, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: “(a) The General Assembly finds that:
“(1) Statistics show that nearly one-third of older adults have untreated tooth decay and nearly 25 percent of adults ages 65 to 74 have severe gum disease. Statistics also show that a significant percentage of lower income children in Georgia do not have adequate access to dental care, putting them at significant risk of developing tooth decay and other oral health conditions;
“(2) Professional preventative hygiene services can help prevent such conditions before they begin;
“(3) Preventative care is the most cost-effective care that can be delivered to the public;
“(4) In 2016, 4,106 Georgians sought emergency dental care at Grady Memorial Hospital at a cost of $1.75 million; and
“(5) Of Georgia’s 159 counties, 118 are considered dental health professional shortage areas, meaning there are not enough licensed dentists in those areas to meet the dental care needs of the public, resulting in individuals seeking emergency care for dental issues.
“(b) It is the intent of the General Assembly to increase access to preventative dental care for underserved and needy populations. It is further the intent of the General Assembly that the rules and regulations promulgated by the Georgia Board of Dentistry pursuant to this Act effectuate this purpose to the greatest extent allowable.”
Law reviews.
For note on the 2001 amendment to this Code section, see 18 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 238 (2001).
For article on the 2011 amendment of this Code section, see 28 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 147 (2011).