1917.1. (a) The dental hygiene board may grant a license as a registered dental hygienist to an applicant who has not taken a clinical examination before the dental hygiene board, if the applicant submits all of the following to the dental hygiene board:
(1) A completed application form and all fees required by the dental hygiene board.
(2) Proof of a current license as a registered dental hygienist issued by another state that is not revoked, suspended, or otherwise restricted.
(3) Proof that the applicant has been in clinical practice as a registered dental hygienist or has been a full-time faculty member in an accredited dental hygiene education program for a minimum of 750 hours per year for at least five years immediately preceding the date of application under this section. The clinical practice requirement shall be deemed met if the applicant provides proof of at least three years of clinical practice and commits to completing the remaining two years of clinical practice by filing with the dental hygiene board a copy of a pending contract to practice dental hygiene in any of the following facilities:
(A) A primary care clinic licensed under subdivision (a) of Section 1204 of the Health and Safety Code.
(B) A primary care clinic exempt from licensure pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1206 of the Health and Safety Code.
(C) A clinic owned or operated by a public hospital or health system.
(D) A clinic owned and operated by a hospital that maintains the primary contract with a county government to fill the county’s role under Section 17000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(4) Satisfactory performance on a California law and ethics examination and any examination that may be required by the dental hygiene board.
(5) Proof that the applicant has not been subject to disciplinary action by any state in which the applicant is or has been previously issued any professional or vocational license. If the applicant has been subject to disciplinary action, the dental hygiene board shall review that action to determine if it warrants refusal to issue a license to the applicant.
(6) Proof of graduation from a school of dental hygiene accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
(7) Proof of satisfactory completion of the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and of a state clinical examination, regional clinical licensure examination, or any other clinical dental hygiene examination approved by the dental hygiene board.
(8) Proof that the applicant has not failed the state clinical examination, the examination given by the Western Regional Examining Board, or any other clinical dental hygiene examination approved by the dental hygiene board for licensure to practice dental hygiene under this chapter more than once or once within five years prior to the date of application for a license under this section.
(9) Documentation of completion of a minimum of 25 units of continuing education earned in the two years preceding application, including completion of any continuing education requirements imposed by the dental hygiene board on registered dental hygienists licensed in this state at the time of application.
(10) Satisfactory evidence of having successfully completed a course or education and training in local anesthesia, nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia, and periodontal soft-tissue curettage approved by the dental hygiene board.
(11) Any other information as specified by the dental hygiene board to the extent that it is required of applicants for licensure by examination under this article.
(b) The dental hygiene board may periodically request verification of compliance with the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) and may revoke the license upon a finding that the employment requirement or any other requirement of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) has not been met.
(c) The dental hygiene board shall provide in the application packet to each out-of-state dental hygienist pursuant to this section the following information:
(1) The location of dental manpower shortage areas in the state.
(2) Any nonprofit clinics, public hospitals, and accredited dental hygiene education programs seeking to contract with licensees for dental hygiene service delivery or training purposes.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 491, Sec. 2. (SB 534) Effective January 1, 2022.)
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