A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 40-15-220, relating to DENTAL SPECIALTIES RECOGNIZED BY THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION FOR WHICH SPECIAL LICENSURE BY THE BOARD OF DENTISTRY IS REQUIRED, so as to INCLUDE DENTAL SPECIALTIES RECOGNIZED BY THE AMERICAN BOARD OF DENTAL SPECIALTIES TO SUCH LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS; by amending Section 40-15-250, relating to THE GRANTING OF DENTAL SPECIALTY LICENSES WITHOUT BOARD EXAMINATION TO DIPLOMATES OF CERTAIN NATIONAL CERTIFYING BOARDS, so as to INCLUDE THE AMERICAN BOARD OF DENTAL SPECIALTIES AMONG SUCH NATIONAL CERTIFYING BOARDS; and by amending Section 40-15-260, relating to THE ISSUANCE OF DENTAL SPECIALTY LICENSES TO APPLICANTS WHO COMPLY WITH EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION, so as to PROVIDE COMPLIANCE WITH EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE AMERICAN BOARD OF DENTAL SPECIALTIES AS AN ALTERNATIVE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.Section 40-15-220 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 40-15-220.A special license shall be required for the practice of each special area of dentistry recognized by the American Dental Association or the American Board of Dental Specialties, in order for a dentist to hold himself out to the public as limiting his practice to, being a specialist in, or giving special attention to any special area of dentistry. No dentist shall announce or hold himself out to the public as limiting his practice to, or as being a specialist in or giving special attention to, any special area of dentistry without first having obtained a special license therefor from the board as herein provided. The volume of business performed in any limited area of dentistry and the restriction of a licensed dentist's activity to any one or more limited areas of dentistry shall not in themselves constitute a holding out to the public that the dentist is a specialist.

SECTION 2.Section 40-15-250 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 40-15-250.Examinations for licensing as specialists are held annually or as the board may determine. The examinations must be theoretical and practical. The theoretical examinations shall include subjects represented in that recognized special area of dentistry in which the applicant desires to specialize. The examination must be given either orally or in writing, or by requiring a practical demonstration of the applicant's skill, or by any combination of the methods as the board may require. The fee for the examinations and special license is prescribed in the regulations of the board. Any applicant who fails to pass the examination may apply for a subsequent examination, in which case he shall pay to the secretary a fee prescribed in the regulations of the board for each subsequent examination. A diplomate of a national certifying board recognized by the American Dental Association or the American Board of Dental Specialties may be granted a specialty license without examination by the board after satisfactory completion of the application and submission of fees applicable to other applicants. A dentist now holding a valid South Carolina specialty license is not required to be reexamined for that specialty license after April 13, 1968.

SECTION 3.Section 40-15-260 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 40-15-260.The board, upon satisfactory proof that the applicant has satisfied the then current educational requirements as set forth by the American Dental Association or the American Board of Dental Specialties for ethical announcement of a practice limited to that specialty and has complied with all requirements of the board, may issue a license to such a dentist authorizing him to hold himself out or announce to the public that he is a specialist in, limits his practice to, or gives special attention to such recognized special area of the dental profession. Such special license shall be reregistered in the same manner as provided in this chapter for a license to practice dentistry.

SECTION 4.This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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