Back to All NewsARIZONA Law to Allow Dental Botox
Posted By American Med Spa Association, Friday, March 11, 2022
Share
Bill Name: Senate Bill 1074 (SB 1074)
Primary Sponsor: Senator Nancy Barto
Status: 3/18/2022 Signed into Law by Governor Ducey.
AmSpa’s Take: Given dentists’ strong background issues of the face and mouth, it seems logical that their scope of practice would include cosmetic treatment to those tissues in addition to the teeth and gums. Unfortunately, dental boards are often constrained by the wording in their practice laws. So, a change to the law is needed to expand the scope of practice, which is done here.
Outlook: The sponsor has submitted bills with similar language the past several sessions and is also the chair of the Health and Human Services Committee; this indicates that the bill is very likely to pass.
Analysis: SB 1074 would bring a substantial expansion of the dentist scope of practice in Arizona. Currently, dentists in Arizona are able to treat issues that occur with teeth, gums, lips, cheeks, the jaw, the oral cavity and associated tissues. As the law is now, there is no explicit authorization for dentists to perform cosmetic injections to the face or to provide therapeutic Botox treatments. State to state, dentists’ scope of practice varies significantly in the use of Botox. Many states allow dentists to use Botox to treat temporomandibular joint issues because of the direct connection to jaw issues. Some states permit cosmetic Botox and filler injections of the lips and mouth, but not around the eyes or forehead.
SB 1074 would expand the scope of practice in two ways. First, the term “associated tissues” would now include tissues of the oral maxillofacial complex. Second, “administering botulinum toxin and dermal fillers” would be added to specific treatments, both for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes. Together, these changes would allow dentists to provide cosmetic injection treatments as well as therapeutic treatments to tissues of the whole face.
There is a strong national trend toward allowing cosmetic injections for dentists. In the majority of states, this has been at the board rules level, where existing law and the scope of practice is interpreted to include or exclude certain treatments. SB 1074 will make Arizona one of the few states to proactively and expressly included these services in the statutory scope of practice. You can read more about SB 1074 by clicking this link.
Primary Sponsor: Senator Nancy Barto
Status: 3/18/2022 Signed into Law by Governor Ducey.
AmSpa’s Take: Given dentists’ strong background issues of the face and mouth, it seems logical that their scope of practice would include cosmetic treatment to those tissues in addition to the teeth and gums. Unfortunately, dental boards are often constrained by the wording in their practice laws. So, a change to the law is needed to expand the scope of practice, which is done here.
Outlook: The sponsor has submitted bills with similar language the past several sessions and is also the chair of the Health and Human Services Committee; this indicates that the bill is very likely to pass.
Analysis: SB 1074 would bring a substantial expansion of the dentist scope of practice in Arizona. Currently, dentists in Arizona are able to treat issues that occur with teeth, gums, lips, cheeks, the jaw, the oral cavity and associated tissues. As the law is now, there is no explicit authorization for dentists to perform cosmetic injections to the face or to provide therapeutic Botox treatments. State to state, dentists’ scope of practice varies significantly in the use of Botox. Many states allow dentists to use Botox to treat temporomandibular joint issues because of the direct connection to jaw issues. Some states permit cosmetic Botox and filler injections of the lips and mouth, but not around the eyes or forehead.
SB 1074 would expand the scope of practice in two ways. First, the term “associated tissues” would now include tissues of the oral maxillofacial complex. Second, “administering botulinum toxin and dermal fillers” would be added to specific treatments, both for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes. Together, these changes would allow dentists to provide cosmetic injection treatments as well as therapeutic treatments to tissues of the whole face.
There is a strong national trend toward allowing cosmetic injections for dentists. In the majority of states, this has been at the board rules level, where existing law and the scope of practice is interpreted to include or exclude certain treatments. SB 1074 will make Arizona one of the few states to proactively and expressly included these services in the statutory scope of practice. You can read more about SB 1074 by clicking this link.
