_____________________________________________________________ The California Dental Practice Act
LICENSE RENEWAL Licenses for all dental professions must be renewed every two years before the last day of the professional’s birth month. Practicing without renewing after this date is considered practicing without a license [1]. It is required that dentists have completed 50 hours of continuing education and dental auxiliaries (excluding RDHAPs) have completed 25 hours of continuing education (maximum of 25 hours and 12.5 hours of home study, respectively) upon renewal submission. The continuing education requirement is 35 hours for RDHAPs. Coursework regarding the Dental Practice Act, infection control, and basic life support is mandatory every two years for all licensees. To receive credit, all courses must be from Board-approved providers. In addition, the Board has identi- fied topics that may only constitute a portion of the full con- tinuing education requirement or that are not acceptable at all. A complete listing of allowable and non-allowable courses is available on the Board website. Links to information regarding license renewal for dentists and dental assistants can be found at https://www.dbc.ca.gov/ licensees, and renewal information for hygienists can be found at https://www.dhbc.ca.gov/licensees/renewals.
According to CBPC Section 1670.1, conviction of crimes committed by dental professionals outside of the workplace may also be grounds for Board discipline and can impact licensure status if the crime is “substantially related to the quali- fications, functions, or duties of a dentist or dental assistant licensed under this chapter” [1]. These vary considerably on a case-by-case basis. Various lesser convictions, for example, driving under the influence (DUI), illicit drug possession, and prescription drug diversion, may not necessarily lead to license revocation provided the proper steps are taken toward remediation (e.g., entering the Board diversion program, sub- mitting to periodic drug testing) [23]. In general, convictions for assaults, sex crimes, multiple misdemeanors (e.g., second DUI/controlled substance charge), and other egregious viola- tions constitute a basis for denial or revocation of licenses or certifications. In addition to violations outside the workplace, unprofessional conduct, in its many forms, is grounds for Board Enforcement action. Acts and omissions that character- ize unprofessional conduct are covered extensively in CBPC Sections 1680, 1681, and 1682 and CCR Section 1018.05. CBPC Section 1680. Unprofessional conduct by a person licensed under this chapter is defined as, but is not limited to, any one of the following: (a) The obtaining of any fee by fraud or misrepresentation. (b) The employment directly or indirectly of any student or suspended or unlicensed dentist to practice dentistry as defined in this chapter. (c) The aiding or abetting of any unlicensed person to prac- tice dentistry. (d) The aiding or abetting of a licensed person to practice dentistry unlawfully. (e) The committing of any act or acts of sexual abuse, mis- conduct, or relations with a patient that are substantially related to the practice of dentistry. (f) The use of any false, assumed, or fictitious name, either as an individual, firm, corporation, or otherwise, or any name other than the name under which the person is licensed to practice, in advertising or in any other manner indicating that the person is practicing or will practice dentistry, except that name as is specified in a valid permit issued pursuant to Section 1701.5. (g) The practice of accepting or receiving any commission or the rebating in any form or manner of fees for professional services, radiograms, prescriptions, or other services or articles supplied to patients. (h) The making use by the licensee or any agent of the licensee of any advertising statements of a character tending to deceive or mislead the public.
ACTS LEADING TO SUSPENSION OF A LICENSE AND IN VIOLATION OF THE DENTAL PRACTICE ACT
Violations of the Act by Board licensees are grounds for suspen- sion of a license/certification and are handled by the Board’s Enforcement Program, which is composed of five sections: Complaint and Compliance Unit; Inspections/Probation Section; Investigation Unit: Sworn Investigators; Investiga- tion Analysis Unit; and Discipline Coordination Unit [22]. Complaints originate from many sources, including dental professionals, healthcare providers, insurance companies, law enforcement agencies, and patients. Complaint intake specialists route these to the appropriate section; for example, an allegation of an unsafe or unsanitary office condition is routed to the inspection section, whereby Board enforcement inspectors may be sent out and are authorized to issue citations and fines. In addition to Board enforcement action, other law enforcement or regulatory agencies are involved when indicated [1]. Dental professionals placed on probation status by the Board for violations of the Act are monitored by the Enforcement Program’s Probation Unit. The Board’s Enforce- ment Unit may be contacted by phone at (916) 263-2300 or by e-mail at DentalBoardComplaints@dca.ca,gov. Violations of the Act by hygienists are handled by the Hygiene Board’s Complaint Unit, which operates in a similar manner and can be contacted at (866) 810-9899 or by email at DHBCEnforce- ment@dca.ca.gov [20].
9
EliteLearning.com/Dental
Powered by FlippingBook