READ FIRST TIME 03/04/05.   

     AN ACT Relating to dental health services; amending RCW 18.32.195 and 18.32.040; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 18.32.195 and 1994 sp.s. c 9 s 218 are each amended to read as follows:
     The commission may, without examination, issue a license to persons who possess the qualifications set forth in this section.
     (1) The commission may, upon written request of the dean of the school of dentistry of the University of Washington, issue a license to practice dentistry in this state to persons who have been licensed or otherwise authorized to practice dentistry in another state or country and who have been accepted for employment by the school of dentistry as full-time faculty members. For purposes of this subsection, this means teaching members of the faculty of the school of dentistry of the University of Washington who are so employed on a one hundred percent of work time basis. Such license shall permit the holder thereof to practice dentistry within the confines of the university facilities for a period of one year while he or she is so employed as a full-time faculty member by the school of dentistry of the University of Washington. It shall terminate whenever the holder ceases to be such a full-time faculty member. Such license shall permit the holder thereof to practice dentistry only in connection with his or her duties in employment with the school of dentistry of the University of Washington. This limitation shall be stated on the license.
     (2) The commission may, upon written request of the dean of the school of dentistry of the University of Washington or the director of a dental residency program under RCW 18.32.040, issue a limited license to practice dentistry in this state to university residents in postgraduate dental education or postdoctorate residents in a dental residency program under RCW 18.32.040. The license shall permit the resident dentist to provide dental care only in connection with his or her duties as a university resident or a postdoctorate resident in a program under RCW 18.32.040.
     (3) The commission may condition the granting of a license under this section with terms the commission deems appropriate. All persons licensed under this section shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the commission to the same extent as other members of the dental profession, in accordance with this chapter, and in addition the licensee may be disciplined by the commission after a hearing has been held in accordance with the provisions set forth in this chapter, and determination by the commission that such licensee has violated any of the restrictions set forth in this section.
     (4) Persons applying for licensure pursuant to this section shall pay the application fee determined by the secretary and, in the event the license applied for is issued, a license fee at the rate provided for licenses generally. After review by the commission, licenses issued under this section may be renewed annually if the licensee continues to be employed as a full-time faculty member of the school of dentistry of the University of Washington, or a university resident in postgraduate dental education, or a postdoctorate resident in a dental residency program under RCW 18.32.040, and otherwise meets the requirements of the provisions and conditions deemed appropriate by the commission. Any person who obtains a license pursuant to this section may, without an additional application fee, apply for licensure under this chapter, in which case the applicant shall be subject to examination and the other requirements of this chapter.

Sec. 2   RCW 18.32.040 and 1994 sp.s. c 9 s 211 are each amended to read as follows:
     The commission shall require that every applicant for a license to practice dentistry shall:
     (1) Present satisfactory evidence of graduation from a dental college, school, or dental department of an institution approved by the commission;
     (2) Submit, for the files of the commission, a recent picture duly identified and attested; and
     (3)(a) Pass an examination prepared or approved by and administered under the direction of the commission. The dentistry licensing examination shall consist of practical and written tests upon such subjects and of such scope as the commission determines. ((The commission may accept, in lieu of all or part of a written examination, a certificate granted by a national or regional testing organization approved by the commission.)) The commission shall set the standards for passing the examination. The secretary shall keep on file the examination papers and records of examination for at least one year. This file shall be open for inspection by the applicant or the applicant's agent unless the disclosure will compromise the examination process as determined by the commission or is exempted from disclosure under RCW 42.17.250 through 42.17.340.
     (b) The commission may accept, in lieu of all or part of the written examination required in (a) of this subsection, a certificate granted by a national or regional testing organization approved by the commission.
     (c) The commission shall accept, in lieu of the practical examination required in (a) of this subsection, proof that an applicant has satisfactorily completed a postdoctoral dental residency program accredited by the commission on dental accreditation of the American dental association and approved by the commission, of one to three year's duration, in a community health clinic that serves predominantly low-income patients or is located in a dental care health professional shortage area in this state, and that includes an outcome assessment evaluation, other than the western regional examining board's clinical examination, assessing the resident's competence to practice dentistry. The commission shall develop criteria, consistent with the standards of the commission on dental accreditation of the American dental association, for community clinics to use when sponsoring students in a residency program under this subsection, including guidelines for the proper supervision of the resident and measuring the resident's competence to practice dentistry.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2005, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   This act takes effect July 1, 2006.