65-1455. Licensing of dental hygienists; examination, fee; license fee; temporary license; qualifications; display of license; approval of schools of dental hygiene, criteria; unlawful practice of den
65-1455
65-1455. Licensing of dental hygienists;examination, fee;license fee; temporary license; qualifications; display of license; approval ofschoolsof dental hygiene, criteria; unlawful practice of dental hygiene,penalties.(a) No person shall practice as a dental hygienist in this state until suchperson has passed an examination by the board under such rules andregulations as the board may adopt. The board shall accept clinical boardexamination results for graduates of dental hygiene schools approved by theboard from all nationally recognized regional dental hygiene clinical testingagencies and from individual state dental hygiene licensure authorities. Thefee for such examination shall be fixed by the board pursuant to K.S.A. 65-1447and amendments thereto. A license fee shall be paid to the board in the amountfixed by the board pursuant to K.S.A. 65-1447 and amendments thereto.
(b) Any graduate of an accredited dental hygiene school, dental college ordental department of a college or university who: (1) Has a R.D.H. (registereddental hygienist) or L.D.H. (licensed dental hygienist) and is otherwisequalified; (2) is not licensed to practice as a dental hygienist in Kansas; and(3) holds a license to practice in the state from which they are applying, uponapplication, may be issued a temporary license of not more than 14 days toprovide dental hygienist services under subsection (f)(4) of K.S.A. 75-6102,and amendments thereto.
(c) The board shall issue licenses as dental hygienists tothose who have passed the examination in a manner satisfactory to the board.Each license shall be posted and displayed in the office in which the hygienistis employed, but no person shall be entitled to such license unless such personis more than 18 years of age, of good moral character and a graduate of aschool approved by the board for dental hygienists. The board shall approveonly those dental hygiene schools which require the study of dental hygiene andwhich the board determines have standards of education not less than thatrequired for accreditation by the commission on dental accreditation of theAmerican dental association or its equivalent.
(d) The board shall adopt rules and regulationsestablishing the criteria which a school for dental hygienists shall satisfy inmeeting the standards of education established under subsection (b). The boardmay send a questionnaire developed by the board to any school for dentalhygienists for which the board does not have sufficient information todetermine whether the school meets the requirements of subsection (b) andrules and regulations adopted under this section. The questionnaireproviding the necessary information shall be completed and returned to theboard in order for the school to be considered for approval. The board maycontract with investigative agencies, commissions or consultants to assistthe board in obtaining information about schools. In entering suchcontracts the authority to approve schools shall remain solely with the board.
(e) Any person practicing dental hygiene in violation ofthe provisions of this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and the board mayrevoke or suspend such person's license therefor.
History: L. 1943, ch. 221, § 39; L. 1953, ch. 289, § 3; L.1955, ch. 290, § 4; L. 1972, ch. 161, § 16; L. 1980, ch. 189, § 6;L. 1988, ch. 243, § 5; L. 1988, ch. 247, § 2; L. 1988, ch. 245, § 1;L. 1999, ch. 11, § 2;L. 2000, ch. 169, § 12;L. 2003, ch. 82, § 2; July 1.