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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR

Altamirano

DATE TYPED 02/14/05 HB

SHORT TITLE

ENMU Four-Year Dental Hygiene Program

SB 398

ANALYST Woods

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$150.0

Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to the appropriation for Eastern New Mexico State University in the General Appropria-

tions Act.

Relates to HB107, HB503, HB504, SB131, SB342, and SB354,

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Department of Health (DOH)

Commission on Higher Education (CHE) (HB503, SB342)

New Mexico Health Policy Commission (HPC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 398 – Making an Appropriation for the Roswell Branch Campus of Eastern New

Mexico University for the Development and Implementation of a Four-Year Dental Hygiene

Program – appropriates $150,000 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of Eastern New

Mexico University for expenditure in FY06 for the Roswell branch campus to develop and im-

plement a four-year dental hygiene program. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remain-

ing at the end of FY06 shall revert to the general fund.

Significant Issues

DOH notes that New Mexico is experiencing a shortage of oral health professionals and the pro-

Senate Bill 398 -- Page 2

posed appropriation in this bill would begin to address the shortage of dental hygienists. Increas-

ing the number of trained, certified and licensed oral health professionals will help reduce oral

health disparities, particularly for children.

DOH further indicates that Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell (ENMU-R) currently oper-

ates a mobile dental van serving uninsured and underinsured persons lacking access to dental ser-

vices. The operation relies on volunteer practitioners to staff and provide services. A full time

accredited dental hygienist program would be beneficial for the dental van, the community, and

the students enrolled in the program.

CHE observes that this request was approved by ENMU Board of Regents in the amount of

$100,000 and submitted to the CHE for review. However the program was not recommended for

expansion by CHE at this time.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

DOH indicates that this bill is consistent with the DOH strategic plan Program Area 9, Strategic

Direction: Achieve excellence and accountability in administration and services; Objective 3:

Increase the health workforce supply, in collaboration with other entities in New Mexico.

HPC indicates that there is a technical difference between a two-year dental hygiene program

and a four-year dental hygiene program: the two-year offers an associate degree, while the four-

year offers a bachelors degree. This, however, has no effect on licensing issues, for an associates

degree is licensed the same in any states as a bachelor’s degree. The significance is that the cost

of a four-year program is, obviously, greater than the two-year program and the graduate turn-

over rate is slower for the four-year program.

HPC suggests that New Mexico needs both types of programs: the two-year program for rapid

turnover for dental hygiene providers introduced into the workforce, and the four-year program

which would provide dental hygiene providers but would also produce those dental hygiene

graduates who would be eligible for educational positions. Using this strategy, New Mexico will

not have to rely on out-of-state programs for production of its teaching core for dental hygiene

programs.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The $150,000 proposed appropriation in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund; how-

ever, any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall revert to the

general fund.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Relates to the appropriation for ENMU in the General Appropriations Act.

Relates to HB503: making an appropriation ($150,000) to the Roswell Branch of Eastern New

Mexico University for the establishment of a dental hygienist education program.

Relates to HB504: making an appropriation ($200,000) to Dona Ana Branch Community Col-

lege for the establishment of a dental hygienist education program.

Senate Bill 398 -- Page 3

Relates to SB354: making an appropriation ($200,000) to New Mexico State University for the

Dona Ana Branch Community College to develop and implement a two-year dental hygiene pro-

gram.

Relates to SB 342: making an appropriation ($150,000) to the Roswell Branch Campus of East-

ern New Mexico University for the development and implementation of a four-year dental hy-

giene program.

Relates to HB107 and SB131: HB107 (Interactive Dental Distance Education Program) and

SB131 (Dental Hygienist Distance Learning Program) both seek to appropriate $45,000 from the

general fund to the Department of Health to contract with a statewide association of community

colleges to develop and implement an interactive distance education program to teach dental hy-

giene and dental assisting statewide.

SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

DOH suggests that the year 2000 Oral Health Survey conducted by the DOH found that 65 per-

cent of the 2,000 children surveyed had experienced tooth decay; and 37 percent of the sample

had untreated tooth decay. Approximately 25 percent of New Mexico adults, age 65 years and

older, have lost all their natural teeth. The national target recommended by Healthy People 2010

is to have no more than 20 percent of adults of this age group with loss of all natural teeth. DOH

further indicates that:

•

The federal government has designated all or part of 26 New Mexico counties as dental

Health Professional Shortage Areas. Dental services are inadequate due to a shortage of

needed health professionals -- especially in rural and remote areas of the state.

•

New Mexico has several programs designed to address the need for oral health profes-

sionals. Dental hygiene programs are in two locations – University of New Mexico in

Albuquerque, and the San Juan Community College in Farmington. Public dental assis-

tant programs are in several locations – Santa Fe Community College, Eastern New Mex-

ico University Branch College in Roswell, University of New Mexico Branch in Gallup,

and Dona Ana Branch Community College in Dona Ana. There are also two small pri-

vate dental assisting programs in Albuquerque. New Mexico has no dental school.

HPC offers the following more general observations as to the state of dental hygiene in New

Mexico:

•

The number of dental hygienists per 100,000 population in New Mexico is below the na-

tional average. National Ratio 52:1, New Mexico 39:1-2003. (New Mexico Oral Health

Surveillance System)

•

Oral Health Professional shortage areas (Dental HPSAs): New Mexico counties desig-

nated 30 of 33. International border designated 6 New Mexico counties.

•

The growth rate in the number of professional hygiene licensed issued in New Mexico

does not keep pace with the growth in total population.

Senate Bill 398 -- Page 4

•

The supply rate for the number of professional hygiene licenses issued in New Mexico

will face a severe impact during the next five years when the retirement rate will exceed

supply rate.

•

Historically New Mexico has had one dental hygiene education program that has not

grown since 1963 (UNM). Twenty-four students graduate per year.

•

In 2001, a second dental hygiene program began at San Juan Community College in

Farmington with the capacity of graduating 12 students per year. Two hundred applicants

applied for the 2001-2002 academic year.

•

Additional dental education programs are needed to improve dental care access in New

Mexico.

•

New Mexico Statute requires that a licensed dental hygienist practice under the indirect

supervision of a licensed dentist, therefore the increase in licensed dental hygienists

needs to grow proportionally with that of dentists. With out a dental school in New Mex-

ico the shortage of dentists will prevail.

•

Dentist, dental hygienist and dental personnel recruitment issues must be examined to

meet the access needs of New Mexico.

BFW/yr