HB285 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Craig LipscombRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene; to amend Sections 34-9-1, 34-9-5, 34-9-10, 34-9-11, 34-9-15, 34-9-26, 34-9-27, 34-9-43, 34-9-60, 34-9-63, and 34-9-86, Code of Alabama 1975; to further provide for penalties for violations; and qualifications for licensure and administration of controlled substances by dentists and dental hygienists.

Summary

HB285 updates Alabama's dentistry laws by expanding licensure rules, supervision of dental hygienists, penalties, and anesthesia/sedation permits, and adding cross-state practice options.

What This Bill Does

The bill lets the Board of Dental Examiners deny licensure or certification for public health and safety reasons and allows administrative fines to be collected with annual registration fees. It broadens dental hygienists' supervision to include both general and direct supervision. It creates and tightens requirements for anesthesia and sedation permits (general anesthesia, parenteral sedation, and intravenous sedation) with on-site facility inspections, trained teams, and CPR/ACLS guidance. It also adds pathways for licensure by credentials and cross-state practice through special licenses, along with annual registration and continued education requirements.

Who It Affects

• Dentists and dental hygienists in Alabama and their licensure applicants, who face new grounds for licensure denials, updated supervision rules, additional licensing pathways (credentials and cross-state), and new registration and renewal requirements.
• Public health and patient safety in Alabama, who would be protected by enhanced sedation/ anesthesia standards, inspection requirements, and more rigorous licensure processes.

Key Provisions

• Defines key terms related to controlled substances in dentistry, including 'administer' and 'dispense'.
• Authorizes the Board to deny licensure or certification based on public interest and public health/safety considerations.
• Requires certain disciplinary administrative fines to be paid as part of annual license registration fees.
• Allows dental hygienists to work under general or direct supervision of a licensed dentist (not just direct supervision).
• Specifies qualifications and standards for examiners conducting on-site inspections of facilities where anesthesia or sedation is administered.
• Updates terminology, clarifies language, and makes non-substantive technical revisions to reflect current practice.
• Establishes licensure by examination with criteria (age, character, citizenship/residency, education) and board-approved examinations.
• Sets forth licensure by credentials, including active practice history, current good-standing license, verification, background checks, transcripts, and ongoing education; allows board to require additional criteria.
• Introduces licensure for specialties with requirements and restrictions, and provisions for renouncing a specialty.
• Creates a special cross-state license to practice dentistry across state lines, with conditions on licensure from other states and a potential reciprocal license process.
• Permits special-purpose cross-state licenses for up to three years, with renewal processes and possible on-site evaluations.
• Establishes permits for general anesthesia, parenteral sedation, and intravenous sedation with on-site inspections, required training (ACLS/BLS), proper facilities, and supervised staffing.
• Allows temporary provisional permits for dentists not yet meeting full requirements pending evaluation.
• Imposes automatic suspension for failure to renew annual registration and sets renewal deadlines, with waivers for age, disability, or active military duty.
• Requires continuing education as a condition for license renewal and outlines board rules for administration.
• Requires annual registration forms, fees, and online or mail submission; mandates board transparency through posting minutes, rules, and licensee lists on its website.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.