Bill > HB197

This bill makes several key changes to dental licensing and regulation in Alaska. First, it modifies the requirements for dental hygiene licensure by removing the specific two-year duration requirement for academic programs, instead focusing on accreditation by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The bill also establishes a new executive administrator position for the Board of Dental Examiners, who will serve as the board's principal executive officer and be employed in the partially exempt service with a specified salary range. Additionally, the bill strengthens the board's oversight of dental office ownership by allowing the board to impose civil fines (up to $1,000 per day) on entities that do not transfer ownership of dental offices to legally permitted owners within the designated time frames. The legislation also updates the board's powers, including the ability to delegate authority to the new executive administrator and to establish that person's qualifications and duties. These changes aim to improve administrative efficiency, clarify licensing standards, and enhance the board's regulatory capabilities in overseeing dental professionals and practices in Alaska.

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https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=HB197