District of Columbia Code
Subchapter V - Licensing, Registration, or Certification of Health Professionals
§ 3–1205.08b. Teaching license for dentistry and dental hygiene

(a) A dentist is eligible for a teacher’s license if the dentist, in addition to meeting the requirements of this subchapter, meets the following criteria:
(1) Is professionally competent;
(2) Is at least 21 years of age;
(3) Holds a Degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery, Doctor of Dental Medicine, or its equivalent, from a college or university that is authorized by any state of the United States or any province of Canada to grant a degree and is recognized by the Board of Dentistry as requiring adequate professional collegiate training and as maintaining an acceptable course of dental instruction;
(4) Is licensed to practice dentistry in any other state; and
(5) Submits a complete application for licensure, along with the requisite fee, to the Board.
(b) A dentist who does not meet the criteria set forth in subsection (a) of this section may be eligible for a dental teacher’s license if the dean of the dental school where the dentist will practice requests that the dentist be granted the license, circumstances exist that justify granting the request, and the dentist meets the following criteria:
(1) Is at least 21 years of age;
(2) Holds a Degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery, Doctor of Dental Medicine, or an equivalent degree from a school, college, or faculty of dentistry;
(3) Demonstrates that the applicant has had at least 2 years of clinical dental experience;
(4) Is professionally competent; and
(5) Submits a complete application for licensure, along with the requisite fee, to the Board.
(c) An applicant for a teacher’s license in dentistry shall:
(1) Have completed an educational program in the practice of dentistry at an institution recognized by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (“CODA”); or demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Board that the applicant’s education and training are substantially equivalent to the requirements of this section;
(2) Have successfully completed Part I and Part II of the examination of the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations; and
(3) Have an appointment or a promise of an appointment as a full-time or part-time faculty member at an accredited dental school located in the District of Columbia and the institution where the dentist is appointed provides documentation satisfactory to the Board of the appointment.
(d) The Board may grant a teacher’s license in dental hygiene if it finds that:
(1) The applicant has completed an educational program in the practice of dental hygiene of at least 2 academic years at an institution recognized by the CODA at the time the applicant graduated; or the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Board that the applicant’s education and training are substantially equivalent to the requirements of this section;
(2) The applicant submits evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant has been actively engaged in the practice of dental hygiene for the 3 years immediately preceding the application, and has at least 150 hours of active dental hygiene practice;
(3) The applicant is found to be professionally competent;
(4) The applicant has successfully completed the National Board of Dental Hygiene Examination; and
(5) The applicant will be appointed to a full-time or part-time faculty position at an accredited dental school located within the District of Columbia and the institution provides documentation satisfactory to the Board of the appointment.
(e)(1) While it is effective, a teacher’s license in dentistry issued under this subchapter authorizes the licensee to:
(A) Teach dentistry at only the institution named on the license; and
(B) Practice only at the institution named on the license to the same extent as other faculty members who hold general licenses to practice dentistry; provided, that a licensed dentist employed by the school provides general supervision in all clinical practice.
(2) For the purposes of this subsection, the term “general supervision” means that a licensed dentist is physically present or available by telecommunications device to supervise the holder of a teacher’s license in dentistry.
(f)(1) While it is effective, a teacher’s license in dental hygiene issued under this subchapter authorizes the licensee to:
(A) Teach dental hygiene only at the institution named on the license; and
(B) Practice dental hygiene only at the institution named on the license, and only under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist employed by the institution named on the license.
(2) For the purposes of this subsection, the term “direct supervision” means that a licensed dentist is physically present and reviews the work of the holder of a teacher’s license in dental hygiene before a patient leaves.
(g) A teacher’s license in dentistry or dental hygiene shall expire on the earlier of:
(1) The date set by the Board, unless the license is renewed for an additional term; or
(2) The date when the licensee ceases to be a full-time or part-time faculty member at the institution named on the license.
(h) The holder of a teacher’s license in dentistry or dental hygiene shall surrender the license to the Board within 30 days of ceasing to be a full-time or part-time faculty member at the institution named on the license.
(i) A holder of a teacher’s license in dentistry shall comply with all the requirements for the practice of dentistry under this chapter and the holder of a teacher’s license in dental hygiene shall comply with all the requirements for the practice of dental hygiene under this chapter.
(Mar. 25, 1986, D.C. Law 6-99, § 508b; as added Mar. 26, 2014, D.C. Law 20-96, § 102(n), 61 DCR 1184; Mar. 16, 2021, D.C. Law 23-205, § 3(b), 68 DCR 000769.)
This section is referenced in § 3-1202.01.
The 2014 amendment by D.C. Law 20-96 added this section.