Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Dental assistant registration; adding minimum age requirements. The dental quality assurance commission (commission) is proposing amending WAC 246-817-190 to include a minimum age requirement for dental assistant registration. This third proposal is an exact copy of previous proposals under WSR 25-05-022 and continued under WSR 25-11-083, allowing time for the commission to consult with the department of labor and industries (L&I) on their implementation of recent legislation.

Hearing Location(s): On October 24, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., at the Washington State Department of Health, TC2 Room 166, 111 Israel Road S.E., Tumwater, WA 98501; or via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YeOpI0h5S22mqhm9r08MmA. Please follow this link to register for the virtual hearing which will give you instructions to either join the meeting on a device, or to call in to the meeting on the phone.

Submit Written Comments to: Debbie Gardner, Program Manager, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, email dental@doh.wa.gov, https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/policyreview/, beginning the date and time of this filing, by October 14, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Debbie Gardner, program manager, phone 360-236-4893, TTY 711, email dental@doh.wa.gov, by October 14, 2025.

Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The commission is proposing amending WAC 246-817-190 to include a minimum age requirement for dental assistant registration by citing L&I's WAC 296-125-030.

The commission has been receiving an increased number of minors applying for dental assistant registration. Applicants as young as age 12 have applied for dental assistant registration. Each of these applications must be reviewed on an individual basis by the commission, which increases the workload for commission panel reviews. Establishing a minimum age requirement would allow the commission to focus their time on other tasks.

Dental assistant positions are often in areas where there is a risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Aligning this rule with L&I's WAC 296-125-030 Prohibited and hazardous employment—All minors, allows the commission to enforce prohibiting minors from working in environments where there is the potential for exposure to bloodborne pathogens, unless the minor is a student in a bona fide health care career training or vocational education program. A minor is defined by L&I in WAC 296-125-015 as a person under the age of 18.

This is the third proposal of the draft rule language which was initially proposed on February 10, 2025, as WSR 25-02-022, with a public hearing held on April 25, 2025, and then continued with WSR 25-11-083, filed on May 21, 2025, with a public hearing on July 25, 2025. This third and final proposal of the same language allows the commission time to finalize the rule making according to the Administrative Procedure Act timelines. The commission has retained comments from the previous two hearings and will evaluate these as part of the final completion of the rule.

Reasons Supporting Proposal: Rule making is necessary to set clear expectations for dental assistant registration applicants and to comply with the rules and statutes regulated by L&I. The proposed rule amendments meet the intent of the underlying statutes by establishing clear and consistent licensure requirements for dental assistant registration in WAC 246-817-190.

Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation, and Enforcement: Debbie Gardner, 111 Israel Road S.E., Tumwater, WA 98501, 360-236-4893.

A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. This rule is exempt under RCW 34.05.328 (5)(b)(iii). The proposed rule is referencing the rules of another Washington state agency. The proposed rule references rules adopted by L&I, WAC 296-125-030 Prohibited and hazardous employment—All minors. The proposed amendments also provide clarification and are therefore also exempt under RCW 34.05.328 (5)(b)(iv).

Is exempt under RCW 19.85.025(3) as the rules are adopting or incorporating by reference without material change federal statutes or regulations, Washington state statutes, rules of other Washington state agencies, shoreline master programs other than those programs governing shorelines of statewide significance, or, as referenced by Washington state law, national consensus codes that generally establish industry standards, if the material adopted or incorporated regulates the same subject matter and conduct as the adopting or incorporating rule; and rules only correct typographical errors, make address or name changes, or clarify language of a rule without changing its effect.

Explanation of exemptions: The proposed rule is referencing the rules of another Washington state agency. The proposed rule references rules adopted by L&I, WAC 296-125-030 Prohibited and hazardous employment—All minors. The proposed amendments also provide clarification. This rule only applies to individual professional licenses and not businesses.

To be eligible for registration as a dental assistant ((you must))the applicant shall:

(1) Provide to the department a completed application on forms provided by the ((secretary))department;

(2) Pay applicable fees as defined in WAC 246-817-99005; ((and))

(3) Provide to the department any other information determined by the ((secretary))department; and

(4) Meet the age requirements of WAC 296-125-030.