- Primary Sponsor
- Co-Sponsors
- Session
- Regular Session 2011
- Title
- Dental Examiners of Alabama, Board of, dentists and dental hygienists, regulation and licensure, substantially revised, Sec. 34-9-7.2 added; Secs. 34-9-2, 34-9-3, 34-9-5, 34-9-6, 34-9-6.1, 34-9-7, 34-9-8, 34-9-9, 34-9-10, 34-9-13, 34-9-15, 34-9-15.1, 34-9-16, 34-9-18, 34-9-20, 34-9-21, 34-9-22, 34-9-24, 34-9-26, 34-9-27, 34-9-28, 34-9-40, 34-9-41, 34-9-43, 34-9-44, 34-9-60, 34-9-63, 34-9-82, 34-9-89 am'd. (2011-20608)
- Summary
HB451 overhauls Alabama's Dental Practice Act by strengthening regulation of dentists and hygienists, updating licensure and fees, and adding strict rules for mobile clinics and 501(c)(3) dental clinics to protect patients.
What This Bill Does
If enacted, it changes how dentists and dental hygienists are licensed and fined, broadens how and where anesthesia and sedation can be used, and introduces new pathways and requirements for licensure (exam, credentials, and cross-state permits). It also regulates mobile and portable dental operations, creates and governs 501(c)(3) dental clinics, and updates record-keeping, consent, and patient communication rules to improve safety and accountability.
Who It Affects
- Dentists and dental hygienists: new licensure options (exam, credentials, cross-state permits), updated fees, continuing education requirements, and stricter discipline rules.
- Mobile/portable dental operators: must obtain registration, meet location, contact, recordkeeping, emergency follow-up, and patient consent requirements, and be subject to inspections.
- 501(c)(3) dental clinics: must register with the board, designate a licensed dentist as chief of dental services, and ensure staff compliance with licensing laws.
- Dental faculty and teaching personnel: new faculty teaching permits and special teaching permits with related fees and on-site supervision requirements.
- Patients: enhanced safety through informed consent for sedation, clearer records release rules, patient information sheets after visits, and coordination of care with designated dental homes.
- Dental schools and institutions: clarified roles for faculty, teaching permits, and board oversight related to clinical teaching and student involvement.
Key Provisions
- Eliminates the minimum fee schedule and sets new maximum fees for special purpose licensure renewal, dental faculty special teaching permits, and mobile facility/portable operation registrations; increases the dental hygiene annual registration fee.
- Regulates bleaching of teeth by requiring compliance with the act; prohibits unlicensed individuals from publicly advertising or claiming to bleach teeth.
- Regulates mobile dental facilities and portable dental operations: requires certificates of registration, official business addresses and 911-capable phone lines, records of location and patient care, emergency follow-up plans, and written patient consent for minors.
- Institutes extensive mobile/portable operation recordkeeping and reporting: location addresses, session dates, patient counts, services provided, and access to records within 10 days of request; requires on-site inspections and periodic audits.
- Adds 501(c)(3) entity registration for clinics operating under the Dental Practice Act and requires licensed dentists to serve as chief of dental services for all clinics, with all personnel adhering to licensing laws.
- Expands licensure pathways: licensure by examination, licensure by credentials with specific, stringent requirements (practice history, good standing, background checks, affidavits, transcript submission, and continuing education), and special cross-state licenses with reciprocal considerations.
- Implements stricter anesthesia/sedation rules: permits for general anesthesia and parenteral/ intravenous sedation with training requirements (ACLS, CPR), on-site facility and team qualifications, and mandatory informed consent; sets inspection and supervision standards.
- Enhances patient rights and records: requires timely release of patient records at reasonable costs, and ensures records remain accessible even after practice closure or sale.
- Strengthens board governance and enforcement: establishes election and term rules for board members including a dental hygienist member, requires electronic ballots, and outlines disciplinary penalties with defined fines and procedures.
AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
- Subjects
- Dental Examiners of Alabama, Board of
