HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4728        FILED ON: 12/7/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Danillo A. Sena

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the licensing of limited registration dentists.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4728        FILED ON: 12/7/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act relative to the licensing of limited registration dentists.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 112 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 45A and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 45A. (a) An applicant for limited registration under this section who is 18 years of age or over and of good moral character who shall furnish the board with satisfactory proof that they have received a diploma from the faculty of a reputable dental college as defined in section 46 and who shall furnish the board with satisfactory proof that they have been employed as a member of the faculty of a dental college accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Dental and Dental Auxiliary Educational Programs of the American Dental Association or that he has been appointed a dental intern in a hospital or other institution maintained by the commonwealth or by a county or municipality thereof, or in a hospital or dental infirmary incorporated under the laws of the commonwealth, may upon payment of a fee to be determined annually by the commissioner of administration under the provision of section 3B of chapter 7 be registered by the board as a limited registrant for one year; provided, however, that practice under any such original or renewal limited registration so issued by the board shall be limited to no longer than 5 years unless said applicant passes a clinical examination administered by the board or is a full time faculty member; and provided further, that, any  applicant who has practiced under an original or renewed license for 5 years and who has passed a clinical examination administered by the board may qualify for a renewal of such license for a period not to exceed 5 years  in which the applicant may continue to practice in a hospital or other institution designated on their registration and under the direction of a registered dentist employed therein.

(b) A limited registration shall entitle an applicant to practice dentistry only in the hospital or other institution designated on their registration and under the direction of a registered dentist or a special registration dentist employed therein. Limited registration under this section may be revoked at any time by the board and a holder of such a limited registration shall not practice dentistry in a private dental office or private dental clinic; provided, however, that a full-time faculty member may participate in, and only in, an intramural group dental practice which is operated, managed and physically located within a nonprofit dental educational or research institution and their affiliated hospitals in which the full-time faculty member is employed.

(c) Upon the completion of 10 years of practice under any original or renewal license authorized by subsection (a), an applicant may apply for a special registration. A special registration shall entitle an applicant to practice dentistry in the hospital or other institution designated on their registration and in any private dental practice where MassHealth is accepted without the supervision of a registered dentist; provided, however, that the applicant shall practice dentistry in equal amounts in: (i) the hospital or other institution designated on their registration; and (ii) any private dental practice where MassHealth is accepted.