S.B. 174

1

DENTIST AND DENTAL HYGIENIST
2 PRACTICE ACT AMENDMENTS
3 2008 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson
6 House Sponsor: Bradley G. Last
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This bill eliminates foreign accreditations for dentists and hygienists to obtain a license
11 in Utah.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This bill:
14 . repeals the authorization allowing licensure of dentist and dental hygienists who
15 received degrees outsides the United States.
16 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
17 None
18 Other Special Clauses:
19 None
20 Utah Code Sections Affected:
21 AMENDS:
22 58-69-302, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1998, Chapter 206
23
24 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25 Section 1. Section 58-69-302 is amended to read:
26 58-69-302. Qualifications for licensure.
27 (1) An applicant for licensure as a dentist, except as set forth in Subsection (2), shall:

28 (a) submit an application in a form as prescribed by the division;
29 (b) pay a fee as determined by the department under Section 63-38-3.2 ;
30 (c) be of good moral character;
31 (d) provide satisfactory documentation of having successfully completed a program of
32 professional education preparing an individual as a dentist as evidenced by having received an
33 earned doctor's degree in dentistry from[: (i)] a dental school accredited by the Commission on
34 Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association; [or]
35 [(ii) a dental school located outside of the United States or its jurisdictions which, at
36 the time the applicant graduated from the dental school, met standards for accreditation by the
37 Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association;]
38 (e) pass the National Board Dental Examinations as administered by the Joint
39 Commission on National Dental Examinations of the American Dental Association;
40 (f) pass any one of the regional dental clinical licensure examinations unless the
41 division, in collaboration with the board, determines that:
42 (i) the examination is clearly inferior to the Western Regional Examination Board; and
43 (ii) reliance upon the examination poses an unjustifiable threat to public health and
44 safety;
45 (g) pass any other examinations regarding applicable law, rules, or ethics as established
46 by division rule made in collaboration with the board;
47 (h) be able to read, write, speak, understand, and be understood in the English language
48 and demonstrate proficiency to the satisfaction of the board if requested by the board; and
49 (i) meet with the board if requested by the board or division for the purpose of
50 examining the applicant's qualifications for licensure.
51 (2) An applicant for licensure as a dentist qualifying under the endorsement provision
52 of Section 58-1-302 shall:
53 (a) be currently licensed in good standing in another jurisdiction set forth in Section
54 58-1-302 ;
55 (b) (i) document having met all requirements for licensure under Subsection (1) except,
56 an applicant having received licensure in another state or jurisdiction prior to the year when the
57 National Board Dental Examinations were first administered, shall document having passed a
58 state administered examination acceptable to the division in collaboration with the board; or

59 (ii) document having obtained licensure in another state or jurisdiction upon which
60 licensure by endorsement is based by meeting requirements which were equal to licensure
61 requirements in Utah at the time the applicant obtained licensure in the other state or
62 jurisdiction; and
63 (c) document having been successfully engaged in practice as a dentist for not less than
64 6,000 hours in the five years immediately preceding the date of application for licensure.
65 (3) An applicant for licensure as a dental hygienist, except as set forth in Subsection
66 (4), shall:
67 (a) submit an application in a form as prescribed by the division;
68 (b) pay a fee as determined by the department pursuant to Section 63-38-3.2 ;
69 (c) be of good moral character;
70 (d) be a graduate holding a certificate or degree in dental hygiene from[: (i)] a school
71 accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association;
72 [or]
73 [(ii) a dental hygiene school located outside of the United States or its jurisdictions
74 which, at the time the applicant graduated from or received certification from the school, met
75 standards for accreditation by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental
76 Association;]
77 (e) pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination as administered by the Joint
78 Commission on National Dental Examinations of the American Dental Association;
79 (f) pass an examination consisting of practical demonstrations in the practice of dental
80 hygiene and written or oral examination in the theory and practice of dental hygiene as
81 established by division rule made in collaboration with the board;
82 (g) pass any other examinations regarding applicable law, rules, and ethics as
83 established by rule by division rule made in collaboration with the board;
84 (h) be able to read, write, speak, understand, and be understood in the English language
85 and demonstrate proficiency to the satisfaction of the board if requested by the board; and
86 (i) meet with the board if requested by the board or division for the purpose of
87 examining the applicant's qualifications for licensure.
88 (4) An applicant for licensure as a dental hygienist qualifying under the endorsement
89 provision of Section 58-1-302 shall:

90 (a) be currently licensed in another jurisdiction set forth in Section 58-1-302 ;
91 (b) (i) document having met all requirements for licensure under Subsection (3) except,
92 an applicant having received licensure in another state or jurisdiction prior to 1962, the year
93 when the National Board Dental Hygiene Examinations were first administered, shall
94 document having passed a state administered examination acceptable to the division in
95 collaboration with the board; or
96 (ii) document having obtained licensure in another state or jurisdiction upon which
97 licensure by endorsement is based by meeting requirements which were equal to licensure
98 requirements in Utah at the time the applicant obtained licensure in the other state or
99 jurisdiction; and
100 (c) document having been successfully engaged in practice as a dental hygienist for not
101 less than 2,000 hours in the two years immediately preceding the date of application for
102 licensure.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-28-08 2:42 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel