Substitute House Bill No. 7303 - Summary

• Requires dental license applicants to complete at least one year of clinically-based postdoctoral general practice or specialty dental residency accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, effective January 1, 2020

• Reduces prior experience requirement for reciprocal licensure from five years to one year of continuous practice as a licensed dentist in another state or territory, with a $565 application fee

• Authorizes State Dental Commission to accept clinical or practical examination results from regional testing agencies in lieu of postdoctoral residency, with patient-participation requirements eliminated by July 1, 2021

• Defines "temporary dental clinic" as a facility providing free dental care to uninsured or underinsured persons for no more than 72 consecutive hours, and allows volunteer hours at such clinics to count toward continuing education requirements

• Permits licensed dentists to administer point-of-service HbA1c tests to patients at increased risk of diabetes using finger-stick measurement tools during office visits

• Establishes working group to study licensure requirements and scope of practice for dental therapists, with recommendations due January 1, 2020