Rep. Lee Hawkins Applauds House Passage of Legislation to Certify Dental Offices for Conscious Sedation

ATLANTA - State Representative Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville), chairman of the House Health Committee, applauds the unanimous passage of House Bill 1278, legislation he sponsored that would allow the Georgia Board of Dentistry, or a designee of the board, to certify a dental office is properly equipped to administer conscious sedation to a patient.

"As a practicing dentist, patient safety has always been my top priority, and this legislation makes sure that dental offices providing conscious sedation are properly equipped and prepared to do so responsibly," said Chairman Hawkins. "At the same time, we know many rural communities across Georgia-especially in Southwest Georgia-are experiencing a shortage of dentists who have conscious sedation permits. By allowing offices to be certified when they meet the proper standards, we can help expand access to safe dental care in underserved areas without compromising safety."

HB 1278 has been sent to the Senate for consideration. The full text of the legislation may be found here.

Representative Lee Hawkins represents the citizens of District 27, which includes portions of Hall and Lumpkin counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and currently serves as Chairman of the Health Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health, Banks & Banking, Human Relations & Aging, Insurance, Regulated Industries and Rules committees, as well as the Special Committee on Healthcare. He also serves as an Ex-Officio member of the Public and Community Health Committee.

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