2021

Expanded Practice Dental Hygienists May Place ITR

In 2021 House Bill 2627 amended the Oregon dental statutes to allow expanded practice dental hygienists who have a written agreement with a dentist to place interim therapeutic restorations (ITR) after diagnosis by a dentist. ITR is also referred to as “scoop & fill” or “non-drilling fillings.”

House Bill 2627 was introduced on behalf of Capitol Dental Care and had wide support from the dental community. The ODHA provided testimony in support of this bill.

House Bill 2627 was based on positive results from Dental Pilot Project #200. During this project EPDHs were trained in the placement of ITR and then placed ITR for underserved patients after being directed to do so by a collaborating dentist who had completed a dental examination through teledentisty. ITR is intended to stabilize a patient’s oral health from further deterioration until the patient can be seen by a dentist in an appropriate setting. This project was sponsored by the OHSU School of Dentistry Department of Community Dentistry in cooperation with Capitol Dental Care.

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