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.
*hb0573*
HOUSE BILL 573
J2 5lr2887
CF SB 792
By: Delegate Kipke Delegates Kipke, Alston, Bagnall , Bhandari, Chisholm,
Cullison, Guzzone, Hill, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kaiser, Kerr, Lopez,
Martinez, M. Morgan, Pena–Melnyk, Reilly, Rosenberg, Ross, Szeliga,
Taveras, White Holland, Woods, and Woorman
Introduced and read first time: January 23, 2025
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 27, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
State Board of Dental Examiners – Expanded Function Dental Assistants – 2
Education and Reinstatement 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing the State Board of Dental Examiners to approve a certain 4
course of study for expanded function dental assistant certification; requiring that a 5
course of study for initial dental assistant certification include an option for an a 6
certain number of hours of in–person and online course of study when appropriate 7
instruction; requiring the Board to reinstate an expired expanded function dental 8
assistant certification only under certain circumstances; requiring the Board to 9
adopt certain regulations relating to continuing education for expanded function 10
dental assistants; and generally relating to expanded function dental assistants. 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Health Occupations 13
Section 4–302.1 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
BY adding to 17
Article – Health Occupations 18
Section 4–311.1 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20 2 HOUSE BILL 573
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 1
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 2
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 3
Article – Health Occupations 4
4–302.1. 5
(a) To qualify for a certificate to be an expanded function dental assistant, an 6
applicant shall be an individual who meets the requirements of this section. 7
(b) The applicant must be of good moral character. 8
(c) The applicant must be at least 18 years old. 9
(d) The applicant must: 10
(1) Be a high school graduate or have attained a high school equivalency; 11
(2) Have successfully completed a course of study approved, subject to 12
subsection (e) of this section, by the Board related to the intraoral procedure for which the 13
applicant has applied for a certificate; 14
(3) Have the appropriate certification from the Dental Assisting National 15
Board; 16
(4) Have passed any examination provided for in a regulation adopted by 17
the Board; and 18
(5) Submit to a State criminal history records check. 19
(e) The Board may not approve a course of study under subsection (d)(2) of this 20
section unless the course of study is part of: 21
(1) A U.S. Department of Labor Job Corps dental assisting program; 22
(2) A dental assisting program located within an institution of 23
postsecondary education that is accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the 24
U.S. Department of Education; 25
(3) A dental assisting program that is located within a high school and is 26
recognized by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the 27
high school accrediting body of a state; [or] 28
(4) A dental assisting program that is accredited by the Council on Dental 29
Accreditation, or a successor organization; 30 HOUSE BILL 573 3
(5) A DENTAL ASSISTING COU RSE OR PROGRAM OFFER ED BY THE 1
DALE FOUNDATION, AN AFFILIATE OF THE DENTAL ASSISTING NATIONAL BOARD, 2
OR ANY SUCCESSOR ENT ITY; OR 3
(6) AN ORTHODONTIC DENTAL ASSISTING COURSE OR PROGRAM 4
OFFERED BY THE TRAPEZIO ORTHODONTIC ASSISTANT TRAINING SOLUTIONS, OR 5
ANY SUCCESSOR ENTITY . 6
(F) (1) A COURSE OF STUDY FOR INITIAL CERTIFICATIO N UNDER THIS 7
SECTION SHALL INCLUD E, WHEN APPROPRIATE , AN OPTION FOR AN ONL INE COURSE 8
OF STUDY AT LEAST 35 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION CONSISTING OF BOTH O NLINE AND 9
IN–PERSON INSTRUCTION . 10
(2) THE BOARD SHALL ADOPT REG ULATIONS SPECIFYING THE 11
REQUIRED NUMBER OF H OURS FOR IN–PERSON INSTRUCTION , ONLINE 12
INSTRUCTION, AND CLINICAL HANDS –ON TRAINING. 13
4–311.1. 14
(A) THE BOARD SHALL REINSTATE AN EXPANDED FUNCTION DENTAL 15
ASSISTANT CERTIFICAT E THAT IS EXPIRED ON LY IF THE HOLDER : 16
(1) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION, HAS COMPLETED 17
THE CONTINUING EDUCA TION REQUIREMENTS SE T BY RULE AND REGULA TION OF 18
THE BOARD; 19
(2) HAS SUBMITTED A RENEW AL APPLICATION TO TH E BOARD 20
BEFORE THE DEADLINE SET BY THE BOARD; AND 21
(3) PAYS TO THE BOARD A RENEWAL FEE S ET BY THE BOARD. 22
(B) THE BOARD SHALL ADOPT REG ULATIONS REQUIRING C ONTINUING 23
EDUCATION, INCLUDING CLINICAL H ANDS–ON TRAINING, FOR EXPANDED FUNCTIO N 24
DENTAL ASSISTANTS TO : 25
(1) INCLUDE AN OPTION FOR AN ONLINE COURSE OF STUDY; AND 26
(2) BE BE OFFERED BY: 27
(I) (1) DENTAL STATE–BASED DENTAL PROFESSIONAL 28
SOCIETIES AFFILIATED WITH NATIONAL DENTAL ORGANIZATIONS ; AND 29
(II) (2) ENTITIES LISTED IN § 4–302.1(E) OF THIS SUBTITLE. 30 4 HOUSE BILL 573
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 1
October 1, 2025. 2
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.