An Act To Modify Dental Licensure Requirements To Consider Credentialed Individuals from Other Jurisdictions (AFTER DEADLINE)
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1660
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: TEPLER
Amends: 32 MRSA §18342, 32 MRSA §18344, 32 MRSA §18345, 32 MRSA §18346, 32 MRSA §18347

Legislative Document
No. 1660
H.P. 1231
House of Representatives, May 5, 2021
An Act To Modify Dental Licensure Requirements To Consider 
Credentialed Individuals from Other Jurisdictions
(AFTER DEADLINE)
(EMERGENCY)
Submitted by the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation and approved for 
introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 205.
Received by the Clerk of the House on May 3, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on Health 
Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed 
pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative TEPLER of Topsham.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, the sole purpose of the Board of Dental Practice is to protect the public 
health and welfare by ensuring that the public is served by competent and honest 
practitioners and by establishing minimum standards of proficiency; and
Whereas, the sole reliance on the accreditation status provided by the American 
Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation to doctoral degree programs in 
dentistry and dental hygiene degree programs has created unnecessary barriers for 
otherwise qualified applicants to obtain licensure in dentistry and dental hygiene; and
Whereas, the sole reliance on licensure in good standing from another state or 
Canadian province has created unnecessary barriers for otherwise qualified applicants from 
other jurisdictions to obtain licensure under the Dental Practice Act; and
Whereas, immediate enactment of this legislation is necessary to give the Board of 
Dental Practice statutory authority to consider on a case-by-case basis an applicant's 
educational equivalency in meeting the educational qualifications for licensure and to 
consider on a case-by-case basis an applicant's licensure in good standing from another 
jurisdiction; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  32 MRSA §18342, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is 
amended to read:
A.  Verification of either a doctoral degree in dentistry from a dental school program 
accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation 
or its successor organization or the educational equivalent of a doctoral degree in 
dentistry, as required determined by the board rule; and
Sec. 2.  32 MRSA §18342, sub-§2, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is 
amended to read:
A.  Verification of an active dental license in good standing issued under the laws of 
another state or a Canadian province, a United States territory, a foreign nation or a 
foreign administrative division that issues licenses in the dental professions; and
Sec. 3.  32 MRSA §18342, sub-§3, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is 
amended to read:
A.  Verification of either a doctoral degree in dentistry from a dental school program 
accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation 
or its successor organization or the educational equivalent of a doctoral degree in 
dentistry, as required determined by the board rule;
Sec. 4.  32 MRSA §18342, sub-§3, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is 
amended to read:
B.  Verification that the applicant has been licensed as a dentist in good standing issued 
under the laws of this State or has an active dental license in good standing issued under 
the laws of another state or a Canadian province, a United States territory, a foreign 
nation or a foreign administrative division that issues licenses in the dental professions;
Sec. 5.  32 MRSA §18344, sub-§1, ¶B, as corrected by RR 2015, c. 2, §22, is 
amended by amending subparagraph (3) to read:
(3)  An active dental hygiene license in good standing issued under the laws of 
another state or a Canadian province, a United States territory, a foreign nation or 
a foreign administrative division that issues licenses in the dental professions;
Sec. 6.  32 MRSA §18345, sub-§1, ¶A, as amended by PL 2017, c. 388, §9, is 
further amended by amending subparagraph (1) to read:
(1)  Verification of an associate degree or higher in dental hygiene from a program 
accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental 
Accreditation, or its successor organization or the educational equivalent of a 
dental hygiene degree, as determined by the board; or
Sec. 7.  32 MRSA §18345, sub-§3, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is 
amended to read:
A.  Verification of an active dental hygiene license in good standing issued under the 
laws of another state or a Canadian province, a United States territory, a foreign nation 
or a foreign administrative division that issues licenses in the dental professions; and
Sec. 8.  32 MRSA §18346, sub-§2, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is 
amended to read:
A.  Verification of an active denturist license in good standing issued under the laws 
of another state or a Canadian province, a United States territory, a foreign nation or a 
foreign administrative division that issues licenses in the dental professions; and
Sec. 9.  32 MRSA §18347, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 429, §21, is amended to read:
§18347.  Endorsement; applicants authorized to practice in another jurisdiction
The board is authorized, at its discretion, to waive the examination requirements and 
issue a license or grant an authority to an applicant who is licensed under the laws of another 
state or a Canadian province, a United States territory, a foreign nation or a foreign 
administrative division that issues licenses in the dental professions who furnishes proof, 
satisfactory to the board, that the requirements for licensure under this chapter have been 
met. Applicants must comply with the provisions set forth in section 18341.
1.  Applicants licensed in another jurisdiction.  An applicant for licensure or seeking 
authority under this chapter who is licensed under the laws of another jurisdiction is 
governed by this subsection.
A.  An applicant who is licensed in good standing at the time of application to the board 
under the laws of another state or a Canadian province, a United States territory, a 
foreign nation or a foreign administrative division that issues licenses in the dental 
professions may qualify for licensure by submitting evidence to the board that the 
applicant has held a substantially equivalent, valid license for at least 3 consecutive 
years immediately preceding the application to the board at the level of licensure 
applied for in this State.
B.  An applicant who does not meet the requirements of paragraph A but is licensed in 
good standing at the time of application to the board under the laws of another state or 
a Canadian province, a United States territory, a foreign nation or a foreign 
administrative division that issues licenses in the dental professions may qualify for 
licensure by submitting evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant's 
qualifications for licensure are substantially similar to the requirements in this chapter 
for the relevant license.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the Board of Dental Practice on a case-by-case basis to grant 
licensure to otherwise qualified applicants for dentist licenses, limited dentist licenses and 
dental hygienist licenses who did not obtain either a doctoral degree in dentistry or a dental 
hygiene degree from a program accredited by the American Dental Association 
Commission on Dental Accreditation by authorizing the board to consider educational 
equivalency in determining the educational qualifications.  It also authorizes the Board of 
Dental Practice on a case-by-case basis to grant licensure to otherwise qualified applicants 
for dentist faculty licenses, limited dentist licenses, expanded function dental assistant 
licenses, faculty dental hygiene licenses, faculty denturist licenses and licenses under the 
Dental Practice Act endorsement provision who are licensed in good standing in a United 
States territory, a foreign nation or a foreign administrative division that issues licenses in 
the dental professions.