EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0799*
SENATE BILL 799
J2 4lr1889
CF HB 786
By: Senators McKay and Guzzone
Introduced and read first time: February 1, 2024
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
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 B Y THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
Article – Health Occupations 20
4–303.1. 21
(a) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Board may waive the education 22
requirements of § 4–302 of this subtitle for an applicant for a limited license to practice 23
dentistry who does not hold a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery, Doctor of Dental 24
Medicine, or the equivalent from a college or university that is authorized by any state or 25 2 SENATE BILL 799
any province of Canada to grant the degree and is recognized by the Board under § 1
4–302(d)(2) of this subtitle. 2
(b) The Board may grant a waiver under this section only if: 3
(1) The applicant: 4
(i) Holds a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery, Doctor of Dental 5
Medicine, or an equivalent degree from a school, college, or faculty of dentistry other than 6
one located in the United States or Canada; 7
(ii) Has successfully completed at least a 2–year [pediatric] 8
dentistry residency program at a dental school or a hospital authorized by any state and 9
which is recognized by the Board; 10
(iii) Either is a [pediatric] dental fellow, or has successfully 11
completed a [pediatric] dental fellowship, at the University of Maryland Dental School; 12
(iv) Is contractually obligated to provide [pediatric] dental services 13
for at least 2 years: 14
1. In a public health dental clinic operated by the State or a 15
county or municipality of the State; or 16
2. In a federally qualified health center or Maryland 17
qualified health center only to Medicaid, uninsured, or indigent patients or patients who 18
otherwise qualify for dental care in a public health dental clinic; 19
(v) Limits practice to the public health dental clinic, federally 20
qualified health center, or Maryland qualified health center for which the applicant has 21
contractually agreed to provide [pediatric] dental services; 22
(vi) Is found to be of good moral character and professionally 23
competent; and 24
(vii) Meets any other requirements that the Board may reasonably 25
require; and 26
(2) The health officer of the public health program OR DENTAL DIRECTOR 27
OF THE FEDERALLY QUA LIFIED HEALTH CENTER OR MARYLAND QUALIFIED 28
HEALTH CENTER for which the applicant has contractually agreed to provide at least 2 29
years of [pediatric] dental services and the Dean of the University of Maryland Dental 30
School request the waiver from the Board and state that circumstances exist to justify 31
granting the waiver. 32
SENATE BILL 799 3
(c) A limited license to practice dentistry issued to an applicant for a waiver under 1
this section shall expire and be surrendered immediately to the Board if: 2
(1) The licensee’s contract with the public health dental clinic, federally 3
qualified health center, or Maryland qualified health center expires; or 4
(2) The licensee fails, for any reason, to fully satisfy the licensee’s 5
obligations under subsection (b)(1)(iv) and (v) of this section. 6
(d) The Board may issue a general license to a limited licensee who was granted 7
a waiver under this section if the limited licensee: 8
(1) Successfully completes at least a 2–year contractual obligation to 9
provide [pediatric] dental care in accordance with subsection (b)(1)(iv) of this section; 10
(2) Submits an application for a general license to practice dentistry on a 11
form provided by the Board; 12
(3) Passes the ADLEX as defined in § 4–306(a)(4) of this subtitle; 13
(4) Passes the Maryland Dental Jurisprudence Examination given by the 14
Board or its designee; 15
(5) Passes the National Board Examinations; 16
(6) Demonstrates oral English competency by scoring 220 or better for 17
overall comprehension and 2.0 or better for pronunciation, grammar, and fluency on the 18
test of spoken English administered by the Educational Testing Service; and 19
(7) Is found to be of good moral character. 20
4–308. 21
(b) While it is effective, a limited license to practice dentistry issued under this 22
title authorizes the licensee to practice dentistry, including as an intern or a resident: 23
(1) Only for the institution or public health program named on the license; 24
and 25
(2) Only on patients of the institution or public health program named on 26
the license. 27
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28
October 1, 2024. 29