OCCUPATIONS CODE

TITLE 3. HEALTH PROFESSIONS

SUBTITLE D. DENTISTRY

CHAPTER 257. LICENSE RENEWAL

Sec. 257.001.  LICENSE EXPIRATION; TERM.  (a)  A license issued under this subtitle is valid for a term of one or two years, as determined by board rule.
(a-1)  The board by rule may adopt a system under which licenses expire on various dates during the year.
(b)  Dates of license suspension and reinstatement after failure to pay the license fee shall be adjusted accordingly.
(c)  For the year in which the expiration date is changed, license fees payable shall be prorated on a monthly basis so that each license holder pays only that portion of the fee that is allocable to the number of months during which the license is valid.  On renewal of the license on the new expiration date, the total license fee is payable.
(d)  An initial license issued under this subtitle expires on the 30th day after the date the license is issued if the holder of the license fails to pay the required license fee on or before that date.
Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Amended by: 
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 772 (S.B. 887), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 295 (S.B. 313), Sec. 12, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 295 (S.B. 313), Sec. 13, eff. September 1, 2017.

Sec. 257.002.  LICENSE RENEWAL.  (a)  A person required to hold a license as a practitioner under this subtitle who fails or refuses to apply for renewal of a license and pay the required fee on or before the specified date is:
(1)  suspended from practice; and
(2)  subject to the penalties imposed by law on any person unlawfully engaging in a practice regulated under this subtitle.
(b)  A person who is otherwise eligible to renew a license may renew an unexpired license by paying the required renewal fee to the board before the expiration date of the license.  A person whose license has expired may not engage in activities that require a license until the license has been renewed.
(c)  A person whose license has been expired for 90 days or less may renew the license by paying to the board a renewal fee that is equal to 1-1/2 times the normally required renewal fee.
(c-1)  A person whose license has been expired for more than 90 days but less than one year may renew the license by paying to the board a renewal fee that is equal to two times the normally required renewal fee.
(d)  Except as provided by Subsection (d-1) or (d-2), a person whose license has been expired for one year or more may not renew the license.  The person may obtain a new license by complying with the requirements and procedures, including the examination requirements, for obtaining an original license.
(d-1)  A person who was licensed in this state, moved to another state, and is currently licensed and has been in practice in the other state for the two years preceding the date of application may obtain a new license without reexamination.  The person must pay to the board a fee that is equal to two times the normally required renewal fee for the license.
(d-2)  The board may renew the license of a person whose license has been expired for one year or more without requiring the person to comply with the requirements and procedures for an original license if the person places the person's renewed license on retired status and confines the person's practice solely to voluntary charity care under Section 256.102(f).
(e)  Not later than the 30th day before the date a person's license is scheduled to expire, the board shall send written notice of the impending expiration to the person at the person's last known address according to the board's records.
(f)  The requirements prescribed by this section relating to the payment of license fees and penalties for the failure to timely renew a license do not apply to license holders who are on active duty with the armed forces of the United States and are not engaged in private or civilian practice.
Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.  Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 14.084(a), eff. Sept. 1, 2001;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 17, Sec. 15, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 456 (H.B. 643), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 295 (S.B. 313), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2017.

Sec. 257.003.  REFUSAL FOR VIOLATION OF BOARD ORDER.  The board may refuse to renew a license issued under this subtitle if the license holder is in violation of a board order.
Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 295 (S.B. 313), Sec. 15, eff. September 1, 2017.

Sec. 257.004.  CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION REQUIREMENTS.  (a)  A person holding a dental or dental hygienist license must submit at the time the person applies for renewal of the license:
(1)  a written statement executed by the person stating that the person has successfully completed a current program or course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation that includes a demonstration of skills and a written evaluation;  or
(2)  if the person is not physically able to comply with the requirements of Subdivision (1), a written statement describing the person's physical incapacity executed by a licensed physician.
(b)  Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 17, Sec. 28, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
(c)  A dentist or dental hygienist licensed by the board who resides in a country other than the United States on the renewal date of the person's license and has not practiced dentistry or dental hygiene in the United States during the license period preceding the renewal date is exempt from the requirements of Subsection (a) if the person submits proof of foreign residence with the person's renewal application.
Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.  Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1249, Sec. 7, eff. Jan. 1, 2002;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 17, Sec. 16, 28, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 295 (S.B. 313), Sec. 16, eff. September 1, 2017.

Sec. 257.005.  CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR DENTIST AND DENTAL HYGIENIST.  (a)  The board shall develop a mandatory continuing education program for licensed dentists and dental hygienists.  The board by rule shall establish the minimum number of hours of continuing education a license holder is required to complete for each registration period to renew the license for a subsequent registration period.
(b)  The board may:
(1)  assess the continuing education needs of license holders;  and
(2)  require license holders to attend continuing education courses specified by the board.
(b-1)  The board shall require a licensed dentist whose practice includes direct patient care to complete not less than two hours of board-approved continuing education annually regarding safe and effective pain management related to the prescription of opioids and other controlled substances, including education regarding:
(1)  reasonable standards of care;
(2)  the identification of drug-seeking behavior in patients; and
(3)  effectively communicating with patients regarding the prescription of an opioid or other controlled substance.
(c)  The board by rule shall:
(1)  identify the key factors required for competent performance of professional duties under this subtitle;
(2)  develop a process to evaluate and approve continuing education courses;  and
(3)  develop a process to assess a license holder's participation and performance in continuing education courses to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program.
Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.  Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 14.079(d), eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by: 
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 295 (S.B. 313), Sec. 17, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 818 (H.B. 2454), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2019.