Source: http://regulations.delaware.gov/register/july2016/proposed/20%20DE%20Reg%2023%2007-01-16.htm
Timestamp: 2018-07-18 01:05:29
Document Index: 721859158

Matched Legal Cases: ['§1122', '§1122', '§1124', '§628', '§765', '§1312']

The Delaware Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene, pursuant to 24 Del.C. 1106(a)(1), proposes to re-propose revisions to its regulations. The proposed amendments to Section 4.0 and subsection 4.1 seek to clarify that the statutory requirement set forth at 24 Del.C. §1122(a)(1) requiring dental candidates to have “received a degree in dentistry from an accredited dental college or university accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association” may obtain such a degree through either a pre-doctoral dental education program or a post-doctoral dental program of at least 24 months in any specialty that includes a clinical component. The proposed changes at regulation 12.2.28 seeks to clarify that fee-splitting is a basis for discipline of a Delaware dentist or dental hygienist.
4.0	Qualifications of Applicant; Education and Residency Requirements [24 Del.C. §1122(a)(3)]
4.1	An applicant for licensure as a dentist shall have received one of the following: a doctoral degree from a US dental college accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation; or a doctoral degree from a dental college or university, plus a post-doctoral degree or certificate from a US CODA approved specialty program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Periodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Endodontics, Orthodontics, or Prosthodontics.
4.12	An applicant for licensure as a dentist must have completed 1 year as a dental intern within a general practice residency accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
4.23	An applicant who has completed a CODA approved specialty residency of 4 years or more will be deemed to have satisfied the general practice residency requirement.
4.34	An applicant who has completed a CODA approved specialty residency of less than 4 years must demonstrate that the specialty residency program meets the following criteria:
4.34.1	The program must meet the goals, objectives, proficiencies and competencies set forth in Standard 2.4 of the CODA Accreditation Standards for Advanced Education Programs in General Practice Residency, ©2007.
4.34.2	The program must include a rotation of at least 70 hours in anesthesia and a rotation of at least 70 hours in medicine.
4.45	An applicant for licensure as a dentist by reciprocity who has had at least 3 years of active dental practice in another state or territory of the United States is not required to provide evidence of a general practice or specialty residency.
4.45.1	Active practice shall be defined as an average of at least 1000 hours of direct patient care per year. Satisfactory evidence of active practice may include, but is not limited to, W-2 forms, 1099 forms, tax returns, and/or written verification of hours from the dental practice administrator. The Board reserves the right to request supplemental verification and to reject incomplete documentation.
4.56	An applicant for licensure as a dental hygienist by reciprocity must demonstrate active practice during 3 of the 5 years immediately preceding the application in the state in which the applicant currently is or has been licensed.
4.56.1	Active practice shall be defined as an average of at least 350 hours of direct patient care per year. Satisfactory evidence of active practice may include, but is not limited to, W-2 forms, 1099 forms, tax returns, and/or written verification of hours from the dental practice administrator. The Board reserves the right to request supplemental verification and to reject incomplete documentation.
16 DE Reg. 328 (09/01/12)
6.0	Continuing Professional Education (CPE) and Renewal
6.1	Renewal. Each license shall be renewed biennially. The failure of the Board to notify a licensee of his/her license expiration date and subsequent renewal does not, in any way, relieve the licensee of the requirement to renew his/her license pursuant to the Board’s regulations and 24 Del.C. Ch. 11.
6.1.1	License renewal is accomplished online at the Division of Professional Regulation’s website. Licensees must submit an online application along with payment of the renewal fee prescribed by the Division of Professional Regulation and an attestation of completion of the continuing education requirements.
6.1.1.1	Attestation must be completed electronically at the time of renewal. Licensees selected for random audit will be required to supplement the attestation with attendance verification pursuant to Section 6.8.
6.2	Any licensee who fails to renew his/her license by the renewal date may reactivate his/her license during the one year period immediately following the license expiration date provided the licensee pays a late fee in addition to the prescribed renewal fee, and provides proof that he/she completed the required continuing education.
6.3	Continuing Education. All persons licensed to practice dentistry in the State of Delaware shall be required to acquire fifty (50) hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credit every two (2) years. Two (2) of the 50 credit hours shall be obtained in courses covering infection control. In addition to the CPE, licensees must provide evidence that they have successfully completed a current course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) every two (2) years. The CPR course must encompass hands on clinical participation. On-line courses will not be accepted to satisfy the CPR requirement. Examples of acceptable courses include, but are not limited to, courses offered by the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association and courses offered or approved by any of the organizations listed in 6.5.1.1 through 6.5.1.4 of these regulations. All dentists, upon initial licensure in Delaware and prior to registration renewal, shall be given a written notice of these CPE requirements.
6.5.1.1	American Dental Association (ADA), its constituents and components including CERP (Continuing Education Recognition Program)
6.5.1.4	Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) its constituents and components including PACE (Program Approval for Continuing Education)
6.5.1.5	Recognized national, regional, state and local dental and dental hygiene specialty organizations
6.5.1.6	Recognized dental and dental hygiene study clubs
6.5.1.7	Accredited dental and dental hygiene CPE programs offered by dental and dental hygiene schools.
6.5.1.8	Approved hospital programs.
6.5.1.9	Such other organizations and associations as may be approved by the Board.
6.7.2.1	If, as of May 31st of the year for license renewal, the licensee has been licensed for less than 1 year, zero hours of CPE is required for license renewal; for licensees who are 1 or more but less than 2 years from their initial licensure, one-half of the required CPE must be presented; for individuals 2 years or more from their initial licensure, the full CPE requirement must be presented for renewal.
6.8.2	Documentation. When a licensee is selected for audit, the licensee shall be required to submit documentation showing detailed accounting of the various CPEs claimed by the licensee. Licensees selected for random audit are required to supplement the attestation with supporting materials which may include a syllabus, agenda, itinerary or brochure published by the sponsor of the activity and a document showing proof of attendance (i.e., certificate, a signed letter from the sponsor attesting to attendance, report of passing test score). The Board shall attempt to verify the CPEs shown on the documentation provided by the licensee. Upon completion of the review, the Board will decide whether the licensee's CPEs meet the requirements of these regulations.
6.11.2.1	If, as of May 31st of the year for license renewal, the licensee has been licensed for less than 1 year, zero hours of CPE is required for license renewal; for licensees who are 1 or more but less than 2 years from their initial licensure, one-half of the required CPE must be presented; for individuals 2 years or more from their initial licensure, the full CPE requirement must be presented for renewal.
6.12.2	Documentation. When a licensee is selected for audit, the licensee shall be required to submit documentation showing detailed accounting of the various CPEs claimed by the licensee. Licensees selected for random audit are required to supplement the attestation with supporting materials which may include a syllabus, agenda, itinerary or brochure published by the sponsor of the activity and a document showing proof of attendance (i.e., certificate, a signed letter from the sponsor attesting to attendance, report of passing test score).The Board shall attempt to verify the CPEs shown on the documentation provided by the licensee. Upon completion of the review, the Board will decide whether the licensee's CPEs meet the requirements of these regulations.
16 DE Reg. 881 (02/01/13)
18 DE Reg. 399 (11/01/14)
Restricted and Unrestricted Permits -- Conscious Sedation induced by parenteral or enteral or rectal routes as well as nitrous oxide inhalation. This does not preclude the use of usual and customary pre-operative oral sedation.
Restricted Permit II -- Conscious Sedation induced by nitrous oxide inhalation only.
7.5.2	Failure to comply with this Section when said occurrence is related to the use of Conscious Sedation or Deep Sedation or General Anesthesia may result in the loss of such permit described above, and will be considered unprofessional conduct.
16 DE Reg. 880 (02/01/13)
10.0	Practical (Clinical) Examination
10.4	Dentistry or dental hygiene candidates, other than dental hygiene candidates who qualify for licensure under 24 Del.C. §1124, must have passed the applicable practical clinical examination within five years of application for licensure in Delaware. The Board reserves the right to waive this requirement for just cause.
10.5	Any dentistry or dental hygiene applicant who fails the practical clinical examination may appeal the Board’s decision. Such appeal shall be filed in writing with the Director of the Division of Professional Regulation within 20 days of the date of notification by the Board. Appeals are based on the facts surrounding the examiners decisions during the examination. Appeals based on patient behavior, tardiness, or failure to appear will not be considered.
10.5.1	Appeal hearings shall be conducted in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act, Chapter 101 of Title 29.
10.5.2	The Board’s scoring of the examination is presumed correct, and the burden of proof at an appeal hearing is on the appellant to prove otherwise. The appeal is limited to a determination of whether there exists substantial evidence to support the judgment of the examiners at the time of the examination.
10.5.2.1	The appeal panel may only consider documents, radiographs, and materials submitted during the examination that remain in the possession of the Board. The panel will not consider documentation or evidence that was not part of the examination, including opinions of the candidate or any other party, academic records, or letters of reference. The panel will not consider radiographs, photographs, or models of a patient taken after the completion of the examination.
9 DE Reg. 77 (07/01/05)
17 DE Reg. 1191 (06/01/14)
19 DE Reg. 431 (11/01/15)
Authority. Pursuant to 74 Del. Laws. c.262, (Senate Bill No. 229 of the 142nd General Assembly, 2004, as amended), the Board was directed to promulgate regulations specifically identifying those crimes which are substantially related to the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene.
Purpose. The Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene believes that the State of Delaware has a compelling public policy interest in ensuring that its licensed professionals not only have specified levels of educational and professional competence but also possess sufficient character and judgment necessary to practice safely in their chosen fields and to do so in a manner which will not undermine the community’s confidence in the expertise and professionalism of the members of the profession. Licensed professionals, particularly those in health care related fields, often come into contact with clients and patients and other members of the public at times when they may be sick, infirmed or otherwise extremely vulnerable to undue influence or other forms of misuse, fraud and abuse. It is therefore critical that all reasonable steps are taken to determine, to the extent possible, that the regulation of such professionals takes into consideration not only the individual’s technical competence but his or her demonstrated propensity to behave in a way that does not expose the client population to risk or diminish legitimate expectations of honest and honorable behavior by such licensed health care professionals. Therefore, the Board finds that for purposes of licensing, renewal, reinstatement and discipline, the conviction of any of the following crimes, or of the attempt to commit or a conspiracy to commit or conceal the following crimes or substantially similar crimes in another state or jurisdiction, is deemed to be substantially related to the practice of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene in the State of Delaware without regard to the place of conviction:
11.1.18	§628. Vehicular assault in the third degree;
11.1.33	§765. Indecent exposure in the first degree;
11.5.3	§1312A. Felony Stalking;
12.0	Unprofessional Conduct Defined
12.1	Dentists and dental hygienists whose behavior fails to conform to legal and accepted standards of the profession and who thus may adversely affect the health and welfare of the public may be found guilty of unprofessional conduct.
12.2	Unprofessional conduct shall include but is not limited to the following:
12.2.1	Performing acts beyond the authorized scope of the level of dental/dental hygiene practice for which the individual is licensed.
12.2.2	Assuming duties and responsibilities within the practice of dentistry or dental hygiene without adequate preparation, or without maintenance of competency.
12.2.3	Performing new techniques and/or procedures without education and practice.
12.2.4	Inaccurately and willfully recording, falsifying or altering a patient or agency document record related to patient care, employment, or licensure.
12.2.5	Committing or threatening violence, verbal or physical abuse of patients or co-workers or the public.
12.2.6	Violating professional boundaries of the dentist/hygienist-patient relationship including but not limited to physical, sexual, emotional or financial exploitation of the patient or patient’s significant other(s).
12.2.7	Engaging in sexual conduct with a patient, touching a patient in a sexual manner, requesting or offering sexual favors, or language or behavior suggestive of the same.
12.2.8	Assigning unlicensed persons to perform the practice of licensed dentists/hygienists.
12.2.9	Delegating dental practice to unqualified persons.
12.2.10	Failing to supervise persons to whom dental/hygiene practice has been delegated.
12.2.11	Leaving a patient assignment except in documented emergency situations.
12.2.12	Failing to safeguard a patient’s dignity and right to privacy in providing services.
12.2.13	Violating the confidentiality of information concerning a patient.
12.2.14	Failing to take appropriate action to safeguard a patient from incompetent, unethical or illegal health care practice.
12.2.15	Practicing dentistry or dental hygiene when unfit to perform procedures and make decisions in accordance with the license held because of physical or mental impairment or dependence on alcohol or drugs.
12.2.16	Diverting or misappropriating monies, drugs, supplies or property of a patient agency or governmental program.
12.2.17	Diverting, possessing, obtaining, supplying or administering prescription drugs to any person, including self, except as directed by a person authorized by law to prescribe drugs.
12.2.18	Practicing dentistry or dental hygiene with an expired license.
12.2.19	Allowing another person to use her/his license or temporary permit.
12.2.20	Aiding, abetting and/or assisting an individual to violate or circumvent any law or duly promulgated rule and regulation intended to guide the conduct of a dentist, dental hygienist, or other health care provider.
12.2.21	Committing fraud, misrepresentation or deceit in taking the licensure exam, or in obtaining a license or temporary permit.
12.2.22	Disclosing the contents of the licensing examination or soliciting, accepting or compiling information regarding the examination before, during or after its administration.
12.2.23	Failing to report unprofessional conduct by another licensee.
12.2.24	Practicing or holding oneself out as a dentist or dental hygienist without a current license.
12.2.25	Failing to comply with the requirements for continuing professional education, unless exempt.
12.2.26	Failing to take appropriate action or to follow policies and procedures in the practice situation designed to safeguard the patient.
12.2.27	Failing to comply with the terms and conditions set out in a disciplinary action of the Board.
12.2.28	Knowingly making or receiving any payment to another dentist, dental hygienist, or employee of a dental office or to divide or split any fee received for professional services for directly bringing or referring a patient. Furthermore, a corporation cannot be established to evade the above regulation.
17 DE Reg. 862 (02/01/14)
20 DE Reg. 23 (07/01/16) (Prop.)