SB 283: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DENTAL HYGIENE.
SB 283 status: Enacted — Signed by Governor (updated Jul 29, 2026).
What this bill does
Overall score
Bill summary
OfficialThis Act expands the scope of practice for dental hygienists in this State. Allowing dental hygienists to use the full range of their education and expertise when providing oral health services will help alleviate provider shortages that make it challenging for Delawareans to obtain dental care. In particular, this Act...
Key analysis
Impact analysis
Environment
Benefits
- no direct environmental impact identified
Risks
- no direct environmental impact identified
Economy
Benefits
- increased workforce efficiency for dental practices
- potential reduction in preventative care costs for patients
Risks
- potential administrative costs for dental boards to update regulations
Society
Benefits
- improves access to oral hygiene for underserved populations
- expands professional autonomy for dental hygienists
Risks
- dependence on clinical follow-up within 12 months to ensure continuity of care
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Source
LegiScan
Confidence
highhigh
Analysis status
LegiScan full bill text
requires robust coordination between hygienists and supervising dentists to maintain standard of care during the 12-month window between dentist exams
actual implementation depends on specific regulations promulgated by the Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene
Where it stands
Introduced
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