WSR 21-08-076
PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
(Dental Quality Assurance Commission)
[Filed April 6, 2021, 2:04 p.m.]
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-817-440 Dentist continuing education, the dental quality assurance commission (commission) is considering rule amendments for the number of hours allowed under self-study methods.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 18.32.002, 18.32.0357, 18.32.0365, and 18.32.180.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: A rules petition was received on November 20, 2020, requesting amendments to WAC 246-817-440 to allow full credit for self-study online continuing education courses. The commission agreed there might be available online courses appropriate for full credit and rule amendments should be considered.
Current rule allows dentists to earn thirty minutes for every one hour of self-study continuing education completed, including online courses, towards the total of continuing education hours. Current rule defines this as:
Subsection (4)(b) Self-study by various means, relevant to dentistry, without an instructor physically present.
Subsection (4)(b)(i) Self-study can be continuing education provided online or through the mail provided by a continuing education provider. Thirty minutes will count for every one hour completed for this activity.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: Collaborative rule making.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Jennifer Santiago, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98501, phone 360-236-4893, fax 360-236-2901, TTY 711, email jennifer.santiago@doh.wa.gov, website www.doh.wa.gov/dental, dental@doh.wa.gov.
Additional comments: Interested parties may sign up for the program's interested parties list (GovDelivery) at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/subscriber/new. All rule-making notices will be emailed via GovDelivery. Rule development will take place in open public meetings prior to a formal rule proposal and comment period.
April 6, 2021
Trina Crawford
Executive Director