2021 21LSO-0023
STATE OF WYOMING
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0100
Denturist practice.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Winter, Laursen, Oakley,
Ottman and Sommers and Senator(s) Cooper
A BILL
for
1 AN ACT relating to professions and occupations; amending
2 dentists and dental hygienists licensing statutes to
3 include denturists; increasing the number of board members
4 as specified; amending requirements relating to permissible
5 supervised work by specified persons; amending other laws
6 relating to dentists and dental hygienists to include
7 denturists as specified; and providing for an effective
8 date.
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
11
12 Section 1. W.S. 1-1-129(a)(i)(D), 33-15-101(a), (c)
13 and (e), 33-15-108(h), 33-15-109(a) and (b), 33-15-111,
14 33-15-114(a)(xii) and (b)(intro), 33-15-115(a)(ii) through
15 (iv) and by creating a new paragraph (v), 33-15-117,
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1 33-15-119, 33-15-120(a) and (c) through (e),
2 33-15-121(a)(intro), (i), (iv) and (v), 33-15-128(a)(ii),
3 (xii)(A) through (C), (xiii), by creating new paragraphs
4 (xvii) and (xviii) and by renumbering (xvii) as (xix),
5 33-15-131(d)(i), (ii)(A), (B), (iii)(A), (B), (iv)(A), (B),
6 (e) and (g) through (j), 33-15-133(a) and 40-28-102(a)(iv)
7 are amended to read:
8
9 1-1-129. Immunity from liability for volunteer health
10 care professionals; insurance required of nonprofit health
11 care facility.
12
13 (a) As used in this section:
14
15 (i) "Health care professional" means any of the
16 following who provide medical or dental diagnosis, care or
17 treatment:
18
19 (D) Dentists, and dental hygienists and
20 denturists licensed to practice as provided in title 33,
21 chapter 15 of the Wyoming statutes; and
22
23 33-15-101. Board of dental examiners; generally.
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1
2 (a) The board shall carry out the purposes and
3 enforce the provisions of this act. The board shall consist
4 of six (6) seven (7) members appointed by the governor with
5 the advice and consent of the state senate. Appointments
6 made between sessions of the legislature shall be made in
7 accordance with W.S. 28-12-101. The interim appointments
8 are not considered a term for the purposes of subsection
9 (c) of this section, relating to reappointment to the
10 board.
11
12 (c) No person is eligible to membership on the board
13 who is not legally qualified to practice; who has not
14 engaged in the active practice of dentistry in the state of
15 Wyoming for at least five (5) continuous years immediately
16 prior to appointment; who does not at the time of his
17 appointment hold a certificate entitling him to practice
18 dentistry in the state of Wyoming; and who is not a
19 resident of the state of Wyoming. One (1) appointed member
20 of the board shall be a dental hygienist who has the
21 qualifications provided in this act. One (1) appointed
22 member of the board shall be a denturist who has the
23 qualifications provided in this act. No member shall
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1 succeed himself in office for more than two (2) successive
2 terms.
3
4 (e) Appointments by the governor to the board shall
5 be made from a list of recommended names submitted by the
6 Wyoming Dental Association, and Wyoming Dental Hygiene
7 Association and the Wyoming State Denturist Association as
8 follows:
9
10 (i) The Wyoming Dental Association shall,
11 through its secretary, present to the governor within
12 fifteen (15) days after its regular annual meeting a list
13 of the names of not less than ten (10) candidates from
14 which appointments for vacancies on the board occurring
15 during the ensuing year shall be made; and
16
17 (ii) The Wyoming Dental Hygiene Association
18 shall, through its secretary, present to the governor
19 within fifteen (15) days after its regular annual meeting a
20 list of not less than three (3) candidates from which
21 appointments for vacancies on the board occurring during
22 the ensuing year shall be made;. and
23
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1 (iii) The Wyoming State Denturist Association
2 shall, through its secretary, present to the governor
3 within fifteen (15) days after its regular annual meeting a
4 list of not less than three (3) candidates from which
5 appointments for vacancies on the board occurring during
6 the ensuing year shall be made.
7
8 33-15-108. Licensing; qualifications; examinations;
9 fees.
10
11 (h) The board may make and prescribe rules and
12 regulations for the licensure and practice of dentistry in
13 the state of Wyoming, not inconsistent with this act. For
14 purposes of this subsection, "practice of dentistry"
15 includes the work of dental hygienists, denturists, dental
16 auxiliaries, dental technicians and dental laboratories.
17
18 33-15-109. Renewal license certificate.
19
20 (a) On or before December 31 each year, each dentist
21 and denturist licensed to practice dentistry in this state
22 and wishing to continue in the practice of dentistry shall
23 submit a license renewal application with the applicable
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1 renewal fee. Any license granted by the board shall be
2 cancelled after ten (10) days notice by registered mail if
3 the holder fails to secure the renewal certificate within
4 three (3) months after December 31 each year.
5
6 (b) Any dentist or denturist whose application for
7 renewal indicates that the dentist or denturist has not
8 actively practiced dentistry or engaged in teaching
9 dentistry, or dental hygiene or denturitry for the
10 preceding five (5) years shall be issued a renewal
11 certificate only after demonstrating to the board that the
12 dentist or denturist has maintained the qualifications set
13 forth in this act. The board may require reexamination if
14 it finds good cause to believe that the person has not
15 maintained the professional ability and knowledge required
16 of an original licensee.
17
18 33-15-111. List of licensees filed with board office.
19
20 The board shall annually publish a list of all dentists,
21 and dental hygienists and denturists licensed under this
22 act. The list shall contain the name and address of each
23 dentist, and dental hygienist and denturist and such other
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1 information as the board deems advisable. The board office
2 shall furnish copies to the public upon request or by
3 access to the board's website.
4
5 33-15-114. Persons deemed to be practicing dentistry;
6 work authorizations from licensed dentist.
7
8 (a) Except as provided by paragraph (xii) of this
9 subsection, any person is deemed to be practicing dentistry
10 within the meaning of this act:
11
12 (xii) A dental laboratory, or dental technician
13 or denturist is not practicing dentistry within the meaning
14 of this act when engaged in the construction, making,
15 alteration or repairing of bridges, crowns, dentures or
16 other prosthetic or surgical appliances, or orthodontic
17 appliances if the casts or molds or impressions upon which
18 the work is constructed have been made by a regularly
19 licensed and practicing dentist or denturist, and if all
20 crowns, bridges, dentures or prosthetic appliances,
21 surgical appliances or orthodontic appliances are returned
22 to the dentist upon whose order the work is constructed.
23
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1 (b) Any licensed dentist who employs or engages the
2 service of any person, firm or corporation outside of the
3 dental office to construct, reproduce, make, alter or
4 repair bridges, crowns, dentures or other prosthetic,
5 surgical or orthodontic appliances shall furnish the person
6 with a written work authorization on forms prescribed by
7 the board, which contain:
8
9 33-15-115. Persons to whom chapter inapplicable.
10
11 (a) Nothing in this act contained applies:
12
13 (ii) To a legally qualified dentist, dental
14 hygienist or dentist denturist engaged in full-time duties
15 with the United States armed forces, public health service,
16 veterans administration or other federal agencies;
17
18 (iii) To a legally qualified dental hygienist or
19 dentist, dental hygienist or denturist of another state
20 making a clinical demonstration before a meeting of
21 dentists or dental auxiliaries; or
22
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1 (iv) To dental, and dental hygiene and
2 denturitry students actively enrolled in any American
3 Dental Association or other board approved accredited
4 dental or denturitry educational program performing
5 services as a part of the curriculum of that program under
6 the direct supervision of a Wyoming licensed dentist, or
7 Wyoming licensed dental hygienist instructor or Wyoming
8 licensed denturist;.
9
10 (v) To denturitry students actively enrolled in
11 any educational institution approved by the board and
12 pursuing a major course of study in denturitry.
13
14 33-15-117. Dental laboratory technicians and
15 denturists.
16
17 Dentists may employ one (1) or more dental laboratory
18 technicians or denturists who work only under the direction
19 and supervision of the dentist and who shall not be
20 permitted under any circumstances to do any unsupervised
21 work upon any patient. Dental laboratory technicians and
22 denturists shall not be allowed to do laboratory work of
23 any kind except at the direction of dentists duly licensed
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1 to practice, and then only upon written prescription issued
2 by the dentists if the dental laboratory work is completed
3 outside the dental office.
4
5 33-15-119. Dental hygienists and denturists;
6 generally.
7
8 Any dentist authorized to practice dentistry within the
9 state may employ dental hygienists and denturists who shall
10 be examined and possess the qualifications provided in this
11 act. A dental hygienist and denturist may perform any
12 services for a patient which are consistent with what the
13 dental hygienists and denturists are trained to do in
14 accredited dental hygiene or denturitry schools accredited
15 by the commission on dental accreditation of the American
16 Dental Association, the National Denturist Association or
17 other board approved education program. Hygienists and
18 denturists shall not perform any other operation on the
19 teeth or mouth and shall be regulated by the rules and
20 regulations promulgated by the board. The above services
21 shall be performed under the supervision of a licensed
22 dentist. Dental hygienists and denturists shall practice in
23 the office of any licensed dentist, or in any public or
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1 private institution under the supervision of a licensed
2 dentist. The board may revoke or suspend the license of any
3 dentist who permits any dental hygienist or denturist
4 operating under his supervision to perform any operations
5 or functions other than those permitted under this act.
6
7 33-15-120. Dental hygienists and denturists;
8 qualifications; examination; fees and license.
9
10 (a) Any person who has a background that does not
11 evidence conduct adverse to the practice of dental hygiene
12 or denturitry or to the ability to practice dental hygiene
13 who is or denturitry and meets the following qualifications
14 may apply to the board to have the person's qualifications
15 considered for licensure to practice dental hygiene or
16 denturitry as follows:
17
18 (i) An applicant for licensure as a dental
19 hygienist shall be a graduate of a dental hygiene program
20 accredited by the commission on dental accreditation of the
21 American Dental Association, who has passed or other board
22 approved educational program, shall pass in a manner
23 satisfactory to the board the dental hygiene national board
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1 examination administered by the joint commission on
2 national dental examinations of the American Dental
3 Association and who passes shall pass any clinical board
4 accepted by the board. may apply to the board to have the
5 person's qualifications considered for licensure to
6 practice dental hygiene. Applicants shall be required to
7 pass a written examination satisfactory to the board;.
8
9 (ii) An applicant for licensure as a denturist
10 shall be a graduate of a denturist program certified by the
11 National Denturist Association or other board approved
12 educational program, shall pass in a manner satisfactory to
13 the board an examination for the practice of denturitry
14 established by the National Denturist Association or other
15 board approved examination and shall pass a clinical
16 examination accepted by the board. Applicants shall be
17 required to pass a written examination satisfactory to the
18 board;
19
20 (iii) Persons licensed to practice denturitry
21 under the laws of any other state, territory of the United
22 States, District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, with
23 substantially equivalent licensing standards to this
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1 article applicable to denturitry shall be licensed without
2 examination upon providing the board with the following:
3
4 (A) Proof of successfully passing a written
5 and clinical examination for denturitry in a state,
6 territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or
7 Puerto Rico, that the board has determined has
8 substantially equivalent licensing standards as those in
9 this article, including but not limited to both the written
10 and clinical examination; and
11
12 (B) An affidavit from the licensing agency
13 where the person is licensed or certified attesting to the
14 fact of the person's licensure or certification.
15
16 (c) If the applicant successfully completes the
17 requirements for licensure, the applicant shall be licensed
18 as a dental hygienist or denturist. If the expanded duties
19 applicant has successfully met the requirements for
20 expanded duties, the applicant shall be certified in those
21 expanded duties. The certificate issued by the board shall
22 list the expanded duties which the hygienist or denturist
23 is qualified and permitted to perform. On or before
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1 December 31 each year, each dental hygienist and denturist
2 licensed to prac