1. (1) When dental hygiene services are provided to children by a licensed dental hygienist or dental therapist who is providing dental hygiene services pursuant to section 12-220-503 without the supervision of a licensed dentist, the executive director of the state department shall authorize reimbursement for said services, subject to the requirements of this section. Payment for the services shall be made directly to the licensed dental hygienist or dental therapist, if requested by the licensed dental hygienist or dental therapist; except that this section does not apply to licensed dental hygienists or dental therapists when acting within the scope of their employment as salaried employees of public or private institutions, physicians, or dentists.
2. (2) For each child provided dental hygiene services pursuant to this section, the dental hygienist or dental therapist shall attempt to identify a dentist participating in medicaid for the child.

Source: L. 2006: Entire article added with relocations, p. 1847, § 7, effective July 1. L. 2019: (1) amended, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1707, § 179, effective October 1. L. 2020: (1) amended, (HB 20-1056), ch. 64, p. 263, § 9, effective September 14. L. 2022: Entire section amended, (SB 22-219), ch. 381, p. 2727, § 39, effective January 1, 2023.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 26-4-414.3 as it existed prior to 2006.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in SB 22-219, see section 1 of chapter 381, Session Laws of Colorado 2022.