The Winter 2007 Issue of the Journal of the Kansas Dental Association is available online for KDA members.  Click on the image to the left to view.  (.pdf viewer required)
	View archives here

2007 Legislative Session Convenes in Topeka

The 2007 Legislature convened on Monday, January 8.  Governor Kathleen Sebelius laid out her plans on Wednesday, January 10 during her fifth State of the State address.  Sebelius discussed programs for education, business tax relief, health care and others and said the state's goal should be development of a plan that provides "universal coverage" so all Kansans have access to affordable, quality health care.  While her speech didn't contain details of that goal, her new budget will include funding to make certain that children five and younger have coverage.  "The cost of health care has risen five times faster than wages over the past six years, and that's having a huge impact on Kansas families," she said.

KDHA Requests Legislative Post Audit on Scaling Assistants

The Kansas Dental Hygienists Association (KDHA) has requested that the Legislative Post Audit Committee direct the Division of Post Audit (the audit agency of Kansas government) to perform an audit of the dental assistant scaling law that was passed in 1998.  If the performance audit is approved, an independent audit team would be assigned to the task.  The audit would be presented to the Legislative Post Audit Committee upon completion.  The KDA believes that the dental assistant scaling program is working well and there is no reason for the state to waste its money on such a post audit study.

No Dental Day 2007

Due to the timing of KMOM-Topeka falling on the traditional day of the KDA’s annual Dental Day activities, there will be no Dental Day this year.  Instead, the KDA and KDCF are inviting House and Senate members to tour KMOM on the morning of Friday, February 2.  We hope that legislators will learn more about KMOM and have the chance to meet dentists volunteering from their districts.

RDH Extended Care Permit Legislation

Oral Health Kansas introduced a bill that would amend the RDH Extended Care Permit (ECP) legislation passed at the urging on the KDA and KDHA in 2002.  This is the law that allows a dental hygienist supervised by a dentist to perform dental hygiene services on underserved populations in schools, Head Starts, nursing homes, underserved clinics, etc.  The proposed changes would add underserved sites where a dental hygienist could provide care, reduced the experience requirement from 1800 hours to 1200 for a dental hygienist seeking an ECP I permit, provide a mechanism for dental hygienists who have not been practicing clinical hygiene for over three years to qualify for an ECP permit, and allow the use of topical anesthetic in these settings.  A committee consisting of dental personnel, including dentists and the KDA, drafted the proposed legislation.  The KDA Board of Delegates approved legislation during its meeting in November.  The bill is currently being drafted and should be published in two weeks. 

Senate Creates Task Forces

Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, has established three Senate task forces as part of the Republican “priorities for progress” legislative proposal.  These task forces are on the issues of health care, K-12 Education and higher education.  The appointments to the Health Care Task Force are below.

• Health Care: Chair, Jim Barnett, R-Emporia; members Pete Brungardt, R-Salina, Julia Lynn, R-Olathe, Roger Pine, R-Lawrence, Roger Reitz, R-Manhattan, David Haley, D-Kansas City, Laura Kelly, D-Topeka

KMOM Registration Still Open

There’s still time for dentists to registration for KMOM-Topeka at www.ksdental.org.  Please note that dental hygienist registration has been closed, however a dental hygienist may still register and participate as a “public” volunteer.  The local KMOM-Topeka is putting the finishing touches on what promises to be a memorable KMOM experience at Landon Arena – we hope you plan to attend.  If you have already registered, expect your KMOM packet to be mailed from the KDA office next week. 

KHPA Nomination

The KDA has nominated Dr. Bert Oettmeier and Dr. Kevin Cassidy to serve on the Kansas Health Policy Authority Provider Council.  The KDA appreciates Drs. Oettmeier and Cassidy’s willingness to serve on this important new Council being created by the fledgling Kansas Health Policy Authority (KHPA).  KHPA was recently created by the Kansas Legislature and formally began business on July 1, 2006.  KHPA is the state’s lead insurance policy agency and oversees state employee insurance decisions, state Medicaid and others.   

Board of Delegates to Meet

Board delegates and alternate delegates should mark the KDA Board of Delegates meeting on their calendars for Thursday, March 15.  The meeting will start at 1:30 P.M. at the Hyatt-Crown Center in Kansas City in conjunction with the UMKC’s Midwest Dental Conference. 

Dental Issues Status

The 2007 Legislative Session begins a new two-year session.  All  Senate Bills (SB) will be new beginning with SB 1.  All House Bills (HB) will begin with Technically all bills introduced in 2005 and not passed remain active bills.  As a practical matter, it is unlikely any of them will receive action this year, therefore they have been removed from the KDA Update.  Should any of these bills receive a hint of action of any kind they will be included later.

Mercury

SB 1 is similar to bills that the KDA has monitored in past years that would prohibit mercury-based thimerosol in vaccines.  Unlike past bills, SB 1 allows the Secretary of Health may exempt a vaccine contain thimerosol if there is a vaccine shortage, epidemic, bioterrorist incident, etc.  SB 1 was introduced by Senate minority leader Anthony Hensley and Senator Dennis Wilson.  The bill has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Public Health.

Government Administrative

SB 16 would authorize the Joint Committee on Children’s Issues to introduce legislation.  This Committee has been in existence since 1999 usually meets during the Legislative Interim.  This bill would provide the Committee with more power to carry outs it legislative charge.  SB 16 is assigned to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.

Public Health

SB 37 would prohibit tobacco smoking in all indoor public places except a “cigar-tobacco bar.”  The bill is assigned to the Senate Committee on Judiciary.