§34-9-6. What constitutes practice of dentistry.

Any person shall be deemed to be practicing dentistry who does any of the following:

(1) Performs, or attempts or professes to perform, any dental operation or dental service of any kind, gratuitously or for a salary, fee, money or other remuneration paid, or to be paid, directly or indirectly, to himself or herself, or to any person in his or her behalf, or to any agency which is a proprietor of a place where dental operations or dental services are performed.

(2) Directly or indirectly, by any means or method, makes impression of the human tooth, teeth, jaws or adjacent tissue, or performs any phase of any operation incident to the replacement of a tooth or any part thereof.

(3) Supplies artificial substitutes for the natural teeth, and who furnishes, supplies, constructs, reproduces, or repairs any prosthesis (fixed or removable), appliance, or any other structure to be worn in the human mouth.

(4) Places such appliance or structure in the human mouth, or adjusts, attempts, or professes to adjust the same, or delivers the same to any person other than the dentist upon whose prescription the work was performed.

(5) Professes to the public by any method to furnish, supply, construct, reproduce, or repair any prosthesis (fixed or removable), appliance, or other structure to be worn in the human mouth, or who diagnoses, or professes to diagnose, prescribe for, professes to prescribe for, treats or professes to treat disease, pain, deformity, deficiency, injury, or physical condition of the human teeth or jaws, or adjacent structure, or who extracts or attempts to extract human teeth, or remove tumors, abnormal growths, or other lesions from the human gums, jaws, and adjacent structures, or who operates for cleft lip or palate, or both; or who treats surgically or mechanically fractures of the human jaw; or who administers local or general anesthetics in the treatment of any dental lesion.

(6) Repairs or fills cavities in the human teeth.

(7) Uses a roentgen, radiograph, or digital imaging machine for the purpose of making dental roentgenograms, radiographs, or digital images, or who gives, or professes to give, interpretations or readings of dental roentgenograms, radiographs, or digital images, or radiographic or roentgen therapy.

(8) Administers an anesthetic of any nature in connection with a dental procedure.

(9) Uses the words "dentist," "dental surgeon," "oral surgeon," or the letters "D.D.S.," "D.M.D." or any other words, letters, title, or descriptive matter which in any way represents him or her as being able to diagnose, treat, prescribe, or operate for any disease, pain, deformity, deficiency, injury, or physical condition of the teeth or jaws, or adjacent structures.

(10) States, or professes, or permits to be stated or professed by any means or method whatsoever that he or she can perform or will attempt to perform dental procedures, or render a diagnosis connected therewith.

(11) Performs any clinical operation included in the curricula of recognized dental colleges; provided, that members of the faculty, teachers, instructors, fellows, interns, residents, dental students, student dental hygienists, and student expanded duty dental assistants who are employed by or who are taking courses or instructions at the University of Alabama School of Dentistry or such other dental colleges, hospitals, or institutions in Alabama, as may be approved by the board; and provided, that the work of fellows, interns, residents, dental students, and student dental hygienists is performed within the facilities of such dental colleges, hospitals, and institutions under the supervision of an instructor and as an adjunct to his or her course of study or training, shall not be required to take examination or obtain a license certificate and renewal license certificate when all of such work, dental procedures, and activities are confined to his or her work in the college, hospital, or other institution and the work is done without remuneration other than the regular salary or compensation paid by such colleges, hospitals, or other institutions.

(12) Professes to the public by any method to bleach human teeth, performs bleaching of the human teeth alone or within his or her business, or instructs the public within his or her business, or through any agent or employee of his or her business, in the use of any tooth bleaching product.

(Acts 1959, No. 100, p. 569, §10; Act 2011-571, p. 1165, §1; Act 2013-252, p. 626, §1.)