BILL NO. 141

(as introduced)

2nd Session, 63rd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
68 Elizabeth II, 2019

 

Private Member's Bill

 

Health Services and Insurance Act
(amended)

 

Tammy Martin
Cape Breton Centre

First Reading: April 5, 2019

(Explanatory Note)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

Explanatory Note

This Bill establishes a school dental health program to be offered free of charge in public schools by dental hygienists employed by the Minister of Health and Wellness.

An Act to Amend Chapter 197
of the Revised Statutes, 1989,
the Health Services and Insurance Act,
Respecting the Establishment of a
School Dental Health Program

1 Section 2 of Chapter 197 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Health Services and Insurance Act, as amended by Chapter 20 of the Acts of 1992 and Chapter 7 of the Acts of 2011, is further amended by adding immediately after clause (b) the following clause:

(ba) "dental hygienist" means a person as defined in the Dental Hygienists Act;

2 Chapter 197 is further amended by adding immediately after Section 3 the following Section:

4 (1) There is hereby established a school dental health program providing

(a) dental examination;

(b) tooth scaling and polishing;

(c) dental fluoride treatments;

(d) general oral hygiene good practices; and

(e) preventative oral counselling and advice.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, the regulations or the M.S.I. plan, the program established pursuant to subsection (1) must be provided free of charge, by a dental hygienist to every person entitled to attend public school in accordance with the Education Act or the Education (CSAP) Act.

(3) The Minister shall employ dental hygienists to provide the services in every public school in the Province in accordance with this Section.

3 N.S. Reg. 9/2019, the Insured Dental Services Tariff Regulations, made pursuant to clause 13(1)(c) and subsection 17(2) of the Health Services and Insurance Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 4 the following Section:

4A Services provided by a dentist to eligible persons pursuant to Section 4 of the Health Services and Insurance Act are deemed to be insured dental services and the applicable tariff of fees at Schedule B - Children's Oral Health Program in accordance with the Dentists Guide is covered when charged by the dentist.

4 The money required for the purpose of this Act must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.

5 This Act comes into force on August 30, 2019.

 

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