An Act To Raise the Fee Caps of the Board of Dental Examiners
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1469
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: SULLIVAN, BROMLEY
Amends: 32 MRSA §1084, 32 MRSA §1085, 32 MRSA §1087, 32 MRSA §1097, 32 MRSA §1098, 32 MRSA §1098-A, 32 MRSA §1099, 32 MRSA §1100-E, 32 MRSA §1100

Legislative Document 
No. 1469 
H.P.1074 
House of Representatives, March 27, 2003 
An Act To Raise the Fee Caps of the Board of Dental Examiners 
Submitted by the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation pursuant to Joint 
Rule 204. 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative SULLIVAN of Biddeford. 
Cosponsored by Senator BROMLEY of Cumberland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
1f/~/J1.71l~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §1084, as amended by PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. A, 
§66, is further amended to read: 
§I084. Licenses; fees 
The board shall issue under its seal to any person who 
successfully 
meets 
all 
licensure 
requirements 
a 
license 
to 
practice dentistry in this State, signed by the members of the 
board. 
A dentist shall publicly exhibit the dentist's license. 
The license is prima facie evidence of authority to practice 
dentistry in this State, except that it is unlawful for a person 
to practice dentistry in this State after the expiration date 
that appears on the license unless the practitioner pays to the 
board on or before January 1st of even-numbered years a fee of 
not more than $699 $400 to be determined by the board, and meets 
other conditions that the board may require. Upon receipt of the 
required 
fee, 
the 
board 
shall 
issue 
a 
renewal 
of 
the 
practitioner's license, which the practitioner shall place beside 
or attach to the practitioner's initial license. 
Practitioners 
who have not paid as provided and who 
otherwise qualify for 
renewal may be reinstated upon payment of a fee to be determined 
by the board of not more than $199 $200 if paid before February 
1st. A license to practice is automatically suspended on February 
1st for 
nonpayment 
of 
the 
license 
renewal 
fee 
and 
may 
be 
reinstated, if approved by the board, on payment of a fee to be 
determined by the board of not more than 
$699 
~;400. 
A 
new 
applicant having paid the application fee shall pay either the 
biennial 
licensure 
fee, 
if 
the 
applicant 
applies 
on 
an 
even-numbered year, or half the biennial licensure fee if the 
applicant applies in an odd-numbered year. 
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §1085, as amended by PL 2001, c. 260, Pt. B, 
§3, is further amended to read: 
SI08S. Endorsement; fees 
The board is authorized, 
at its discretion, 
without the 
examination as provided, to issue a license to an applicant who 
furnishes proof, satisfactory to the board, that the applicant 
has been 
licensed to practice dentistry in another state after 
full compliance with the requirements of its dental laws. If an 
applicant is licensed to practice dentistry in another state, 
that applicant's professional education may not be less than is 
required in this State and the applicant must have been at least 
years in actual practice in the state in which the- license was 
granted. Applicants for licensure by endorsement who meet the 
requirements of this section must be interviewed in person by the 
Page l-LR1928(l) 
board or members of the board, prior to being issued a license. 
Every license of this type issued by the board must state upon 
its face the grounds upon which it is issued and the applicant 
may be required to furnish proof upon affidavit. The fee for the 
license is determined by the board, but may not be more than $~QQ 
$500. 
Sec. 3. 32 MRSA §1087, as amended by PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. A, 
§70, is further amended to read: 
§I087. Fee for duplicate license 
An applicant for a duplicate license granted upon proof of 
loss of the original shall pay a fee of $le no more than $50. 
Sec. 4. 32 MRSA §1097, as amended by PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. A, 
§8l, is further amended to read: 
§I097. Application; fee 
An eligible person desiring to practice dental hygiene must 
make written application to the Board of Dental Examiners to take 
the examination. 
The application must be accompanied by a fee 
to 
be 
determined 
by 
the 
board 
not 
to 
exceed 
$lQQ 
$200. 
Applicants for licensure shall pay a fee set by the board for the 
examination. 
The board may recognize a nationally or regionally 
administered 
examination 
for 
applicants 
to 
practice 
dental 
hygiene in the State. 
Sec. 5. 32 MRSA §1098, as amended by PL 1993, c. 600, Pte A, 
§82, is further amended to read: 
§I098. License; biennial fee 
The board shall issue a license to practice as a dental 
hygienist in this State 
to 
an 
individual 
who 
has 
met 
the 
licensure requirements. 
The license must be exhibited 
publicly 
at the person's place of 
employment. 
The 
license authorizes 
practice as a dental hygienist in this State for the year in 
which it is issued until the expiration date that appears on the 
license. On or before January 1st of each odd-numbered year, the 
dental hygienist must pay to the board a license renewal fee of 
not more than $lQQ .l£Q.Q. to be determined by the board or 112 of 
the biennial 
licensure 
fee 
if the 
applicant 
applies 
in 
an 
even-numbered year. 
Dental 
hygienists 
who 
have 
not 
paid 
as 
provided must be reinstated upon payment of a fee of not more 
than $eQ 
li.Q.Q to be determined by the board if paid before 
February 1st of the year in which license renewal is due. Failure 
to be properly licensed by February 1st results in automatic 
suspension of a license to practice dental hygiene. Reinstatement 
may 
be 
made, 
if approved by the board, 
by 
payment 
to 
the 
secretary-treasurer of the board of a fee determined by the board 
of not more than $199 ~. 
The board may issue temporary licenses to dental hygienists 
who present credentials satisfactory to the board. 
The board may 
charge a fee of up to $69 £5.Q for a temporary license .. 
Sec. 6. 32 MRSA §1098-A, as amended by PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. 
A, §83, is further amended to read: 
Sl098-A. Fee for duplicate license 
An applicant for a duplicate license granted upon proof of 
loss of the original shall pay a fee of $15 no more than $50. 
Sec. 7. 32 MRSA §1099, as amended by PL 1995, c. 590, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
§l099. Endorsement 
The board may at its discretion, without examination, issue 
a 
license 
to 
an 
applicant 
to 
practice 
dental 
hygiene 
who 
furnishes 
proof 
satisfactory 
to 
the 
board 
that 
the 
dental 
hygienist has been duly licensed to practice in another state 
after full compliance with the requirements of its dental laws, 
except that the professional education may not be less than is 
required 
in this 
State. 
The 
board 
may 
require 
letters 
of 
reference as to ability. 
Applicants for licensure by endorsement 
who meet the requirements of this section must be interviewed in 
person by the board or members of the board prior to being issued 
a license. 
Every license so given must state upon its face that 
it was granted on the basis of endorsement. 
The fee for that 
license must be determined by the board, but may not be more than 
$199 llQQ. 
Sec. 8. 32 MRS A §1100-D, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1995, c. 
590, §6, is further amended to read: 
3. 
Application for examination; fee. 
An eligible person 
desiring to take an examination in order to become licensed as a 
denturist shall make a written application to the board to take 
the examination. 
This application must be accompanied by an 
application fee, to be determined by the board, but not to exceed 
$199 $200 and an examination fee to be determined by the board 
that may not exceed the actual cost of the examination. 
The 
application fee 
iaelaaes-~£e-~~-~F-~£e-~~~~~--~~~-aaa is 
nonrefundable. 
Sec. 9. 32 MRSA §1100-E, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1995, c. 
590, §7, is further amended to read: 
3. 
Renewal; renewal fee. After a license has been issued 
under subsection 2, and on or before January 1st of odd-numbered 
years, a denturist must pay to the board a license renewal fee of 
not more than $±99 $200 to be determined by the board in order to 
renew the license and to continue to be authorized to practice as 
a denturist in the State or 1/2 the biennial licensure fee if 
application is made in an even-numbered year. 
After 
the 
requirements 
for 
a 
license renewal, 
including any 
necessary continuing education, have been met, a renewal card of 
the denturist's license must be issued, which the denturist shall 
place 
beside 
or 
attach to 
the denturist's initial license. 
Denturists who have not paid as provided by January 1st must be 
reinstated upon payment of a fee, to be determined by the board, 
of not more than $99 $100 if paid by February 1st. A license to 
practice is automatically suspended on February 1st and may be 
reinstated, if approved by the board, on payment of a fee to be 
determined by the board of not more than $±GG $200. 
Sec. 10. 32 MRSA §1100-E, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2001, c. 
260, Pt. B, §4, is further amended to read: 
4. 
Endorsement. 
The 
board, 
at its discretion, 
without 
examination, may issue a license to an applicant to practice as a 
denturist who furnishes proof satisfactory to the board that the 
denturist 
has 
been 
licensed 
to 
practice 
and 
has 
actively 
practiced for a period of 3 years in another state or Canadian 
province after full 
compliance with the 
requirements 
of its 
dental 
laws, 
if 
the 
licensure 
requirements 
are, 
in 
all 
essentials, at least equivalent to those of this State. The board 
may require letters of reference about the denturist. 
Applicants 
for licensure by endorsement who meet the requirements of this 
section must be interviewed in person by the board, or members of 
the board, prior to being issued a license. 
Every license so 
given must state upon its face that it was granted on the basis 
of endorsement. The fee for the license may not exceed $±GG $200. 
Sec. 11. 32 MRS A §1100-E, sub-§4-A, as amended by PL 1995, c. 
590, §7, is further amended to read: 
4-A. 
Duplicate 
license. 
A 
licensee 
must 
be 
issued 
a 
duplicate license by the board for a fee of $±9 no more than $50 
upon attestation of loss of the original. 
Sec. 12. 32 MRS A §1100-N, as amended by PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. 
A, §99, is further amended to read: 
§ll00-B. Application 
To apply for a license to practice dental radiography, an 
applicant shall submit 
a 
written application with supporting 
documents to the board, on forms provided by the board, and shall 
pay an application fee, which may not exceed $eQ $10o_. 
Sec. 13. 32 MRSA §1100-0, as amended by PL 1993, c. 600, Pt. 
A, §99, is further amended to read: 
§IIOO-O. Renewal 
I. 
Term of license; 
renewal. 
All licenses to practice 
dental radiography issued by the board are valid for 5 years from 
the date of issuance and may be renewed upon application to the 
board and payment of a renewal fee, which may not exceed $§Q $100. 
SUMMARY 
This bill increases the fee caps 
for the Department of 
Professional and Financial Regulation, Board of Dental Examiners 
and 
deletes 
the 
exclusion 
of 
an 
initial 
license 
fee 
for 
denturists 
to 
make 
it 
consistent 
with 
all 
other 
license 
categories.