1. There is hereby established a five-member “Advisory Commission for Dental Hygienists”, composed of dental hygienists appointed by the director of the division of professional registration as provided in subsection 2 of this section and the dental hygienist member of the Missouri dental board, which shall guide, advise and make recommendations to the Missouri dental board. The commission shall:

(1) Recommend the educational requirements to be registered as a dental hygienist;

(2) Annually review the practice act of dental hygiene;

(3) Make recommendations to the Missouri dental board regarding the practice, licensure, examination and discipline of dental hygienists; and

(4) Assist the board in any other way necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter as they relate to dental hygienists.

2. The members of the commission shall be appointed by the director. Each member of the commission shall be a citizen of the United States and a resident of Missouri for one year and shall be a dental hygienist registered and currently licensed pursuant to this chapter. Members of the commission who are not also members of the Missouri dental board shall be appointed for terms of five years, except for the members first appointed, one of which shall be appointed for a term of two years, one shall be appointed for a term of three years, one shall be appointed for a term of four years and one shall be appointed for a term of five years. The dental hygienist member of the Missouri dental board shall become a member of the commission and shall serve a term concurrent with the member’s term on the dental board. All members of the initial commission shall be appointed by April 1, 2002. Members shall be chosen from lists submitted to the director of the division of professional registration. Lists of dental hygienists submitted to the director may include names submitted to the director of the division of professional registration by the president of the Missouri Dental Hygienists Association.

3. The commission shall hold an annual meeting at which it shall elect from its membership a chairperson and a secretary. The commission shall meet in conjunction with the dental board meetings or no more than fourteen days prior to regularly scheduled dental board meetings. Additional meetings shall require a majority vote of the commission. A quorum of the commission shall consist of a majority of its members.

4. Members of the commission shall receive as compensation an amount set by the Missouri dental board not to exceed fifty dollars for each day devoted to the duties of the commission and shall be reimbursed for all actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties on the commission and in attending meetings of the Missouri dental board. The Missouri dental board shall provide all necessary staff and support services as required by the commission to hold commission meetings, to maintain records of official acts, and to conduct all other business of the commission.