Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
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3 SENATE BILL 1831 By: McIntosh
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to the practice of dentistry;
7 amending 59 O.S. 2021, Sections 328.23 and 328.29a,
8 as last amended by Section 11, Chapter 273, O.S.L.
8 2025 (59 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 328.29a), which
9 relate to the State Dental Act; modifying certain
9 exams; modifying certain supervision requirement; and
10 providing an effective date.
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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 328.23, is
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15 amended to read as follows:
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16 Section 328.23. A. The President of the Board, upon
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17 verification that a person meets the requirements provided for in
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18 this section and any other requirements provided for in the State
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19 Dental Act, may issue an emergency temporary license to practice
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20 dentistry for thirty (30) days. A temporary license may be extended
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21 but shall not exceed ninety (90) days or the next available
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22 regularly scheduled Board meeting.
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23 B. The President of the Board, upon verification that a person
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24 meets the requirements provided for in the State Dental Act, may
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1 issue an emergency temporary license to practice dental hygiene,
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2 which shall expire as of the date of the next dental hygiene
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3 clinical examination in Oklahoma, as required by the Board.
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4 C. An active duty military spouse residing with the active duty
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5 member having met the requirements for licensure shall be eligible
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6 for a temporary license.
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7 D. Any applicant requesting an emergency temporary license
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8 shall submit a letter explaining the exigent circumstances along
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9 with all application materials. The determination of whether or not
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10 to grant the emergency temporary license based upon the exigent
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11 circumstances shall be at the sole discretion of the President or
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12 acting President of the Board.
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13 E. A holder of a temporary license to practice dentistry or
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14 dental hygiene shall have the same rights and privileges and be
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15 governed by the State Dental Act and the rules of the Board in the
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16 same manner as a holder of a permanent license to practice dentistry
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17 and dental hygiene.
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18 F. The President of the Board may authorize patient treatment
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19 and care by individuals taking the Commission on Dental Competency
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20 Assessments (CDCA) or the Western Regional Examining Board exam, or
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21 other regional exams as approved by the Board, American Board of
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22 Dental Examiners (ADEX) exam in order for such individuals to
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23 complete criteria related to Board examinations. The Board may
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1 authorize specialty examinations to be given throughout the year as
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2 needed.
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3 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 328.29a, as
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4 last amended by Section 11, Chapter 273, O.S.L. 2025 (59 O.S. Supp.
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5 2025, Section 328.29a), is amended to read as follows:
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6 Section 328.29a. A. The following acts or occurrences by a
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7 dental assistant shall constitute grounds for which the penalties
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8 specified in Section 328.44a of this title may be imposed by the
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9 Board of Dentistry or be the basis for denying a new applicant any
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10 license or permit issued by the Board:
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11 1. Any of the causes now existing in the laws of this state;
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12 2. A violation of the provisions of the State Dental Act; or
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13 3. A violation of the rules of the Board promulgated pursuant
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14 to the State Dental Act.
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15 B. The Board shall also have the power to act upon a petition
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16 by a dental assistant for reinstatement to good standing. The Board
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17 shall keep a record of the evidence and proceedings in all matters
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18 involving the revocation or suspension of a permit, censure or
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19 probation of a dental assistant. The Board shall make findings of
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20 fact and a decision thereon. Notification of the licensee or permit
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21 holder shall occur pursuant to Section 328.21 of this title.
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22 C. The decision shall be final unless the dental assistant
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23 appeals the decision as provided by the State Dental Act.
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1 D. The Board shall have power to revoke or suspend the permit,
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2 censure, or place on probation a dental assistant for a violation of
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3 one or more of the following:
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4 1. Pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, or being convicted
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5 of, a felony crime that substantially relates to the occupation of a
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6 dental assistant and poses a reasonable threat to public safety, or
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7 a violation of federal or state controlled dangerous substances
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8 laws;
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9 2. Presenting to the Board a false application or documentation
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10 for a permit;
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11 3. Being, by reason of persistent inebriety or addiction to
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12 drugs, incompetent to continue to function as a dental assistant;
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13 4. Functioning outside the general direct or direct visual
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14 supervision of a dentist for a procedure as required by the State
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15 Dental Act;
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16 5. Performing any function prohibited by Chapter 15 of the
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17 Oklahoma Administrative Code or any violation that would be a
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18 violation for a dentist or hygienist under Section 328.32 or 328.33
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19 of this title, or any other duty not assignable to a dental
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20 assistant; or
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21 6. Failure to secure an annual registration as specified in
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22 Section 328.41 of this title.
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23 E. The Board's review panel, as set forth in Section 328.43a of
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24 this title, upon concurrence with the president of the Board, may
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1 determine that an emergency exists to temporarily suspend the permit
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2 of a dental assistant if the panel finds that public health, safety
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3 or welfare imperatively requires emergency action. The panel may
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4 conduct a hearing pursuant to Section 314 of Title 75 of the
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5 Oklahoma Statutes for the temporary suspension.
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6 F. As used in this section:
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7 1. "Substantially relates" means the nature of criminal conduct
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8 for which the person was convicted has a direct bearing on the
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9 fitness or ability to perform one or more of the duties or
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10 responsibilities necessarily related to the occupation; and
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11 2. "Poses a reasonable threat" means the nature of criminal
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12 conduct for which the person was convicted involved an act or threat
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13 of harm against another and has a bearing on the fitness or ability
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14 to serve the public or work with others in the occupation.
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15 SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
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17 60-2-3156 DC 1/14/2026 11:06:10 PM
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