LB 330, the bill to facilitate licensed dental hygienists’ ability to provide dental hygiene services to under-served Nebraskans, remains under consideration by the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee.

Please contact your representative in the Legislature to express your personal interest and support for this important legislation. If you have already been in contact with your senator, remind them of your earlier expression of interest. Ask your senator to visit with members of the Health and Human Services Committee about LB 330 and the health care benefits and services it can bring to presently under-served Nebraskans.

Thank you for your active participation in moving your profession forward.

If you have any questions please contact Deb Schardt, NDHA Legislative Chair at 402-310-4428 or email at mikedebschardt@diodecom.net

LB 542 remains on Select File for the 2010 legislative session. NDHA has conducted several “Towne Hall Meetings” across the state to keep dental hygienists and dental assistants informed of LB 542. Our Association has also met with NDA and NDAA over the summer/fall months to discuss LB 542. We continue to work towards reaching a compromise that each of our professions can accept.

The dental hygiene profession stood unified with one voice regarding LB 542 in the 2009 session and we encourage you to continue your efforts this year. If you were not able to be involved in the legislative process last year we encourage you to become active this year. Together, our unified voice can make such a difference!

Dental Hygienists, we’ve put together a handy checklist to keep you on task…Have you:

• Identified who your senator is? To find your senator, go to www.nebraskalegislature.gov
• Made contact with your senator? Emailing is preferred by many Senators and is so easy to do any time of the day. Send a short email note to your senator introducing yourself and making yourself available for questions regarding LB 542, should they have questions. To email your senator, include the initial of their first name followed by their entire last name, followed by leg.ne.gov Example: Senator Rich Pahl’s email would be: rpahlsleg.ne.gov
• Obtained your Senator’s FAX number? If you need to get important information in your Senator’s hands, FAX’ing is very effective.
• Sent an invite to your Senator for the 2010 NDHA Legislative Breakfast which is scheduled for January 22nd? Information is located in the newsletter…please send an email invite to your Senator today to invite them to this very important and well attended event.
• Reviewed the NDHA website to keep current on legislative issues in our state and nationally? Visit our website at: www.nedha.org

• Kept current regarding NDHA’s position regarding LB 542? Visit the website or contact Annette Byman @ annettebyman@hotmail.com

• Responded to all email communication sent by NDHA and followed through on NDHA’s requests?

• Offered to help your senator with campaign efforts?

• Kept your Senator informed by sending him/her email updates?

• RSVP’d for the Legislative Breakfast by the deadline date?

• Kept NDHA informed of discussions with your Senator and any other important issues?

As discussions continue between NDA, NDHA and NDAA, we will do our best to keep you informed of the progress regarding LB 542. Communication will happen via email and by phone. Please check your email daily as we typically have a very short timeframe when dealing with legislative issues. We appreciate your past support and we ask that you continue to stay informed so you can be involved in our legislative endeavors. If you have specific questions, please refer to the NDHA website to obtain officer, component president, or legislative chairman’s contact information.

Change requirements for dental hygienists in public health-related settings

Legislative Bill 330 was introduced by Senator Tanya Cook and Senator Russ Karpisek in the Nebraska Unicameral on January 12. If passed, LB 330 will make changes to the Registered Dental Hygienists’ Public Health Permit. The bill’s intent is to eliminate the 3000 hours of clinical experience required to obtain a Public Health Permit AND expand the prophylaxis procedure to all patients. The current law restricts prophylaxis to children.

You can read and track the bill here
http://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=12432

Links to:

Find your senator
Call your senator
Email your senator