§34-9-26. Examination, qualifications, licensing, etc., of dental hygienists and expanded duty dental assistants.

(a) No person shall practice as a dental hygienist in this state until such person has passed an examination given by the board or approved by the board, or both, under rules and regulations as the board may promulgate and the payment of a fee. The board shall issue licenses and license certificates as dental hygienists to those persons who have passed the examination and have been found qualified by the board. The license certificate and annual registration certificate shall be displayed in the office in which the dental hygienist is employed. No person shall be entitled to a license and license certificate unless the person is 19 years of age and of good moral character. Each applicant for examination and license as a dental hygienist shall be a graduate of a school of dental hygiene which has been approved by the board, or in lieu thereof, shall have served as a dental assistant for a period of time established by board rule and shall have served at least one year as a dental hygienist trainee under a training permit issued by the board to a qualified dentist practicing in this state in accordance with the dental hygienist training program established by the board. Any person practicing in violation of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and the board may impose the penalties outlined in Section 34-9-18 for such violation.

(b) No person shall practice as an expanded duty dental assistant in this state until such person has passed an examination given by the board or approved by the board, or both, under rules and regulations as the board may promulgate and the payment of a fee. The board shall issue licenses and license certificates as expanded duty dental assistants to those persons who have passed the examination and have been found qualified by the board. The license certificate and annual registration certificate shall be displayed in the office in which the expanded duty dental assistant is employed. No person shall be entitled to a license and license certificate unless the person is 19 years of age and of good moral character. Each applicant for examination and license as an expanded duty dental assistant shall be a graduate of a school of expanded duty dental assisting which has been approved by the board. Any person practicing in violation of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and the board may impose the penalties outlined in Section 34-9-18 for such violation.

(Acts 1959, No. 100, p. 569, §35; Acts 1979, No. 79-427, p. 668, §1(e); Acts 1985, No. 85-697, p. 1120, §1; Acts 2001-269, p. 328, §3; Act 2009-18, p. 43, §5; Act 2011-571, p. 1165, §1; Act 2013-252, p. 626, §1.)