SB193 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Shay ShelnuttSenator

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

SB193 updates Alabama’s dentistry and dental hygiene laws to strengthen licensure, regulate controlled substances and sedation, and create cross-state licensing options for dentists and hygienists.

What This Bill Does

It defines key terms for administering and dispensing controlled substances in dentistry, and gives the Board of Dental Examiners new authority to deny licensure based on public health and safety, including penalties and fines tied to annual registrations. It allows dental hygienists to work under either general or direct supervision and tightens on-site inspection requirements for facilities where anesthesia or sedation is used. It creates multiple licensure paths (examination, credentials, specialty) and a new special purpose cross-state license to practice across state lines (valid up to three years, with reciprocity considerations), plus expanded permits for anesthesia/sedation with training, facility standards, and ongoing oversight.

Who It Affects

• Dentists and dental hygienists in Alabama who must meet new licensure pathways, supervision rules, permit requirements for anesthesia/sedation, and cross-state licensing options.
• Patients and the public receive stronger protections through updated licensure standards, stricter enforcement, and safer, more standardized use of sedation and controlled substances in dental care.

Key Provisions

• Defines administer and dispense for controlled substances in dentistry/dental hygiene, clarifying regulatory scope.
• Board can deny licensure or certification based on public health interest and can require payment of certain administrative fines with annual registration fees.
• Dental hygienists may work under general or direct supervision (not limited to direct supervision only).
• On-site inspection requirements for anesthesia/sedation facilities, including a three-examiner team with specific qualifications to evaluate facility, equipment, and staff.
• Licensure pathways established: by examination, by credentials, and by specialty, with detailed eligibility criteria and required disclosures.
• Introduction of a special purpose cross-state license to practice across state lines, up to three years, with reciprocity rules and state-by-state determinations of eligible jurisdictions.
• Expansion of anesthesia permits (general, parenteral, intravenous) with training, facility standards, CPR/ACLS/BLS requirements, and inspections as needed.

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