VirginiaHB10362026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Dental hygienist licensure; dentists eligible to practice in a foreign country or jurisdiction.

Sponsored By: Kathy K.L. Tran (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Dental hygienist licensure; dentists eligible to practice in a foreign country or jurisdiction. Permits the Board of Dentistry to grant a license to practice dental hygiene to persons who are eligible to practice dentistry in a country or jurisdiction outside of the United States and who are graduates of a dental school or college, or the dental department of an institution of higher education, located outside of the United States that the Board determines is acceptable. This bill is identical to SB 282.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

7 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

School staff can give emergency meds

With a prescriber’s order and required parent consent, trained staff in public schools, private schools, colleges, and DBHDS‑licensed programs can help with insulin or give glucagon when no licensed clinician is present. Trained school nurses and other authorized staff may keep and use epinephrine, and in some settings albuterol, in emergencies under an order or approved protocol.

Wider access to naloxone overdose medicine

Pharmacists, ER staff, EMS, and some public employees can dispense naloxone under a prescriber or Health Commissioner standing order. People may possess and use naloxone received under these rules, and anyone may give non‑injectable naloxone to someone believed to be overdosing. Groups that dispense naloxone under these protocols cannot charge more than their cost. This authority does not extend to injectable naloxone that uses a hypodermic needle or syringe for general public use under the standing order.

Remote dental care in schools and clinics

Dental hygienists at the Health Department or DBHDS can give preventive and educational care under remote supervision by a dentist from the same agency. To use remote supervision, a hygienist must finish an approved course, have at least two years and 2,500 clinical hours, carry liability insurance, and be supervised by an active Virginia dentist with a practice in Virginia. Remote care is allowed only in FQHCs, safety‑net and free clinics, long‑term care, schools, Head Start, WIC, and the DBHDS mobile dentistry program. Under remote supervision, hygienists can do screenings, scaling and polishing, prevention, X‑rays under orders, records, and apply approved topical drugs; they cannot give local anesthetic or nitrous oxide. Before care, the hygienist must get a signed notice that remote care is not a substitute for dentist exams and a verbal confirmation the patient has no regular dentist. A hygienist may treat a patient up to 180 days before a dentist must examine or refer; the dentist must set a diagnosis and plan and review the record at least every 10 months. The law does not grant independent practice to hygienists. Each agency must report yearly on services and oral‑health impact.

More medicines for physical therapists and trainers

A prescriber can authorize physical therapists to keep and give certain topical medicines by order or standing protocol. A prescriber can also allow athletic trainers to use oxygen or IV saline in emergencies, lidocaine for wound closure, epinephrine for anaphylaxis, and naloxone for overdose.

Nurses can give TB skin tests

Registered nurses and LPNs under RN supervision may give PPD tuberculosis skin tests under a standing protocol with proper training. The Health Commissioner can also allow Health Department nurses to give PPD under Department policies.

Training rules and wider fluoride access

The Board of Dentistry sets the training hygienists need to give nitrous oxide and, for adults, local anesthesia under a dentist’s direction. Physician assistants, nurses, dental hygienists, and authorized prescriber agents may keep and apply topical fluoride varnish under an order or standing protocol.

New paths to a Virginia dental hygiene license

You must hold a current Virginia license to practice dental hygiene. To get licensed, you must show good moral character, graduate from an approved program, pass the national hygiene exam, and pass a Board-accepted clinical exam. Virginia may license you by endorsement if you hold a current, unrestricted license in another U.S. state and meet Board rules. The Board may also license graduates of foreign dental schools who were eligible to practice dentistry abroad and meet all other requirements. Licensed hygienists can move to inactive status; the Board sets any training to reactivate.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Kathy K.L. Tran

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 209 • No: 13

Senate vote 2/23/2026

Passed Senate Block Vote

Yes: 38 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/20/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/20/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/19/2026

Reported from Education and Health

Yes: 15 • No: 0

House vote 2/16/2026

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 88 • No: 10

House vote 2/10/2026

Reported from Health and Human Services with amendment(s)

Yes: 20 • No: 2

House vote 2/5/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)

Yes: 8 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0253)

    4/6/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 253 (effective 7/1/2026)

    4/6/2026Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/10/2026Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

    3/10/2026House
  5. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1036)

    2/26/2026House
  6. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1036ER)

    2/25/2026House
  7. Enrolled

    2/25/2026House
  8. Signed by President

    2/25/2026Senate
  9. Signed by Speaker

    2/25/2026House
  10. Passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/23/2026Senate
  11. Read third time

    2/23/2026Senate
  12. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    2/20/2026Senate
  13. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/20/2026Senate
  14. Rules suspended

    2/20/2026Senate
  15. Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N)

    2/19/2026Senate
  16. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1036)

    2/17/2026House
  17. Referred to Committee on Education and Health

    2/17/2026Senate
  18. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/17/2026Senate
  19. Read third time and passed House (88-Y 10-N 0-A)

    2/16/2026House
  20. Engrossed by House as amended

    2/13/2026House
  21. committee amendment agreed to

    2/13/2026House
  22. Read second time

    2/13/2026House
  23. Read first time

    2/12/2026House
  24. Reported from Health and Human Services with amendment(s) (20-Y 2-N)

    2/10/2026House
  25. House subcommittee offered

    2/5/2026House

Bill Text

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