DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

(Board of Denturists)

[Filed May 28, 2025, 1:29 p.m.]

Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 24-10-064.

Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Denturist rules regarding updating renewal licensure requirements of the jurisprudence (JP) examination. The board of denturists (board) is proposing revisions to WAC 246-812-159 to ensure licensees are made aware of the profession's regulations and standards through the successful completion of the annual JP examination.

Hearing Location(s): On August 21, 2025, at 12:00 p.m., at the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) Headquarters, Room S119, 7273 Linderson Way S.W., Tumwater, WA 98501. Participants can also attend by webinar at https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZDk4NTg3Y2UtOWNmYS00YWEzLTk3YTktMzY2OWE2MTY2MGQ3%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2211d0e217-264e-400a-8ba0-57dcc127d72d%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2208f4993d-b1c0-4ac1-8427-a92e4abbb4cf%22%7d.

Date of Intended Adoption: August 21, 2025.

Submit Written Comments to: Adriana Barcena, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, email adriana.barcena@doh.wa.gov, fax 360-236-2901, https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/policyreview, beginning the date and time of this filing, by August 11, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Adriana Barcena, phone 360-236-4865, fax 360-236-2901, TTY 711, email adriana.barcena@doh.wa.gov, by August 11, 2025.

Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The board is proposing revisions in WAC 246-812-159 to require the annual JP examination. The JP exam was required for initial licensure and optional for continuing education credit for licensed denturists. The anticipated effects of changing the JP to an annual requirement includes a decrease in discipline, complaints, and the risk to public health and safety of patients while also enhancing the awareness of law and rule changes among licensed denturists.

Reasons Supporting Proposal: The board reviewed rules in response to section 8 of 2SHB 1724 (chapter 425, Laws of 2023), which directed all disciplining authorities for licensed professionals to waive education, training, experience, and exam requirements for applicants who have been credentialed in another state or states with substantially equivalent standards for at least two years immediately preceding their application with no interruption in licensure for longer than 90 days. The board found all existing requirements to be necessary and will not waive any requirements. Additionally, the board determined no other state JP examinations are equivalent to Washington state. The annual requirement will safeguard the public ensuring providers are practicing within their scope of practice. Continuing to enforce the JP examinations will ensure that the denturist profession has clear direction when it comes to scope of practice and will assist denturists with the understanding of their limitations in scope of practice. This will result in a decrease in complaints received by the department from other professions that are worried about denturists breaching their scope of practice, along with a decrease in investigations.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.30.065, 18.30.130, and 18.130.077.

Statute Being Implemented: 2SHB 1724 (chapter 425, Laws of 2023), in RCW 18.130.077.

Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.

Name of Proponent: Board of denturists, governmental.

Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation, and Enforcement: Adriana Barcena, 111 Israel Road S.E., Tumwater, WA 98501, 360-236-4865.

A school district fiscal impact statement is not required under RCW 28A.305.135.

A cost-benefit analysis is required under RCW 34.05.328. A preliminary cost-benefit analysis may be obtained by contacting Adriana Barcena, Department of Health, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone 360-236-4865, fax 360-236-2901, TTY 711, email Adriana.Barcena@doh.wa.gov.

This rule proposal, or portions of the proposal, is exempt from requirements of the Regulatory Fairness Act because the proposal:

Is exempt under RCW 19.85.025(4).

Explanation of exemptions: The entire proposed rule is exempt under RCW 19.85.025(4), as it only affects the denturist license which does not meet the definition of "small business" in RCW 19.85.020.

Scope of exemption for rule proposal:

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 20-04-028, filed 1/28/20, effective 2/28/20)

WAC 246-812-159Continuing competency requirements.

The goal of continuing competency is to encourage the lifetime professional development of the licensed denturist, and to enhance the clinical and overall skills needed to protect the health and safety of all patients.

(1) A licensed denturist shall:

(a) Complete and attest to the completion of a minimum of ((fifteen))15 clock hours of continuing competency every year as a part of their annual license renewal requirement; and

(b) Complete the Washington state jurisprudence examination annually. Two hours of continuing competency will be granted toward the requirement every three years.

(2) The board:

(a) May randomly audit up to ((twenty-five))25 percent of licensed denturists annually for compliance.

(b) Does not authorize or approve specific continuing competency courses.

(3) Continuing competency must contribute to the professional knowledge and development of the licensed denturist or enhance services provided to patients.

(4) A denturist shall complete continuing competency in one or more of the following categories:

(a) Education courses relating to the practice of denturism;

(b) Emergency management or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS);

(d) Infection control and federal and state safety standards;

(e) Ethics;

(f) Patient care education including risk management, methods of health delivery, multicultural, and suicide prevention education;

(g) Patient communication;

(h) Implantology (restoring implants);

(i) Partial denture construction and design;

(j) ((Washington state denturist jurisprudence exam, for a maximum of two hours every three years;

(k))) Practice management and billing practices, for a maximum of five hours yearly.

(5) A denturist shall use the following activities to complete continuing competency hours:

(a) Attendance at a local, state, national, or international continuing competency courses, live interactive webinar and denturist study clubs, for a maximum of eight hours yearly;

(b) Self-study by various means, relevant to denturism, without an instructor present:

(i) Self-study can be continuing education provided online or through the mail provided by a continuing competency provider, up to a maximum of five hours yearly;

(ii) Self-study can be reading a book that contributes to the professional knowledge and development of the licensed denturist, or enhance services provided to patients. A two-page synopsis of what was learned written by the licensed denturist is required to be granted two hours of continuing competency for each book and synopsis, up to a maximum of four hours yearly.

(c) Teaching, presenting, or lecturing in a course, only if the presentation or lecture is created or authored by the denturist claiming the continuing competency hours, up to a maximum of five hours yearly;

(d) Direct clinical supervision of denturist students up to a maximum of five hours yearly;

(e) Denturist licensure examinations, examination standardization and calibration workshops, clinical examination administration, or serving on a denturist professional board or association up to a maximum of ((ten))10 hours yearly;

(f) Publishing a paper in a peer review journal up to a maximum of five hours yearly the year the paper is published; and

(g) Provision of clinical denturist patient care services in a documented volunteer capacity, up to a maximum of five hours yearly.

(6) The board may not accept any claim of credit for a continuing competency course that does not meet the requirements of subsection (4) or (5) of this section.

(7) Proof of continuing competency is a certificate of completion, letter, transcripts, or other documentation verifying or confirming attendance or completion of continuing competency hours. Documentation must be from the organization that provided the activity, except in subsection (5)(b)(ii) of this section, and must contain at least the following:

(a) Date of attendance or completion;

(b) Name of licensed denturist;

(d) Course title or subject.

(8) Upon showing good cause by the denturist in writing, the board may waive the denturist from any, all, or part of the continuing competency requirements in this chapter or may grant additional time for the denturist to complete the requirements. Good cause includes, but is not limited to:

(a) Illness;

(b) Medical necessity or family emergency;

(d) Other extenuating circumstances.