EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0786*
HOUSE BILL 786
J2 4lr1875
CF SB 799
By: Delegate Bagnall Delegates Bagnall, Alston, Bhandari, Chisholm, Cullison,
Hill, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kaiser, Kerr, Kipke, R. Lewis, Lopez,
Martinez, M. Morgan, Pena–Melnyk, Reilly, Rosenberg, Szeliga, Taveras,
White Holland, and Woods
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2024
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 26, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Health Occupations – Limited License to Practice Dentistry – Services for 2
Adults 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing the State Board of Dental Examiners to waive certain 4
education requirements for certain applicants for a limited license to practice 5
dentistry who provide dental services for adults; and generally relating to a limited 6
license to practice dentistry. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Health Occupations 9
Section 4–303.1 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 12
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Health Occupations 14
Section 4–308(b) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19 2 HOUSE BILL 786
Article – Health Occupations 1
4–303.1. 2
(a) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Board may waive the education 3
requirements of § 4–302 of this subtitle for an applicant for a limited license to practice 4
dentistry who does not hold a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery, Doctor of Dental 5
Medicine, or the equivalent from a college or university that is authorized by any state or 6
any province of Canada to grant the degree and is recognized by the Board under § 7
4–302(d)(2) of this subtitle. 8
(b) The Board may grant a waiver under this section only if: 9
(1) The applicant: 10
(i) Holds a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery, Doctor of Dental 11
Medicine, or an equivalent degree from a school, college, or faculty of dentistry other than 12
one located in the United States or Canada; 13
(ii) Has successfully completed at least a 2–year [pediatric] 14
dentistry residency program at a dental school or a hospital authorized by any state and 15
which is recognized by the Board; 16
(iii) Either is a [pediatric] dental fellow, or has successfully 17
completed a [pediatric] dental fellowship, at the University of Maryland Dental School OF 18
DENTISTRY OR ANOTHER DENTAL SCHOOL RECOGN IZED BY THE BOARD; 19
(iv) Is contractually obligated to provide [pediatric] dental services 20
for at least 2 years: 21
1. In a public health dental clinic operated by the State or a 22
county or municipality of the State; or 23
2. In a federally qualified health center or Maryland 24
qualified health center only to Medicaid, uninsured, or indigent patients or patients who 25
otherwise qualify for dental care in a public health dental clinic; 26
(v) Limits practice to the public health dental clinic, federally 27
qualified health center, or Maryland qualified health center for which the applicant has 28
contractually agreed to provide [pediatric] dental services; 29
(vi) Is found to be of good moral character and professionally 30
competent; and 31
HOUSE BILL 786 3
(vii) Meets any other requirements that the Board may reasonably 1
require; and 2
(2) The health officer of the public health program OR DENTAL DIRECTOR 3
OF THE FEDERALLY QUA LIFIED HEALTH CENTER OR MARYLAND QUA LIFIED 4
HEALTH CENTER for which the applicant has contractually agreed to provide at least 2 5
years of [pediatric] dental services and the Dean of the University of Maryland Dental 6
School request REQUESTS the waiver from the Board and state STATES that circumstances 7
exist to justify granting the waiver. 8
(c) A limited license to practice dentistry issued to an applicant for a waiver under 9
this section shall expire and be surrendered immediately to the Board if: 10
(1) The licensee’s contract with the public health dental clinic, federally 11
qualified health center, or Maryland qualified health center expires; or 12
(2) The licensee fails, for any reason, to fully satisfy the licensee’s 13
obligations under subsection (b)(1)(iv) and (v) of this section. 14
(d) The Board may issue a general license to a limited licensee who was granted 15
a waiver under this section if the limited licensee: 16
(1) Successfully completes at least a 2–year contractual obligation to 17
provide [pediatric] dental care in accordance with subsection (b)(1)(iv) of this section; 18
(2) Submits an application for a general license to practice dentistry on a 19
form provided by the Board; 20
(3) Passes the ADLEX as defined in § 4–306(a)(4) of this subtitle; 21
(4) Passes the Maryland Dental Jurisprudence Examination given by the 22
Board or its designee; 23
(5) Passes the National Board Examinations; 24
(6) Demonstrates oral English competency by scoring 220 or better for 25
overall comprehension and 2.0 or better for pronunciation, grammar, and fluency on the 26
test of spoken English administered by the Educational Testing Service; and 27
(7) Is found to be of good moral character. 28
4–308. 29
(b) While it is effective, a limited license to practice dentistry issued under this 30
title authorizes the licensee to practice dentistry, including as an intern or a resident: 31
4 HOUSE BILL 786
(1) Only for the institution or public health program named on the license; 1
and 2
(2) Only on patients of the institution or public health program named on 3
the license. 4
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 5
October 1, 2024. 6
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.